Bengal CM slams police raid at Delhi’s Kerala Bhavan

Condemning the police raid at Kerala House in New Delhi to verify if beef was served in its canteen, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday called it an attempt to curb fundamental rights of the people.

“I strongly condemn what happened in Delhi at Kerala Bhavan. An unwise and unhealthy attempt to curb fundamental rights of people. Intolerance,” she tweeted.

Some 20 policemen entered Kerala House on Monday following a complaint that it was serving beef. Kerala House officials said it was buffalo meat but nevertheless took it off their menu.

The Delhi Police action has come under strong criticism. On its part, Delhi Police said their entry into Kerala House was no raid and they had violated no law.

Kerala House removed dishes made with buffalo meat from the menu of its canteen after Delhi Police sent a team to the state guest house to look into a complaint by the right-wing Hindu Sena that beef was allegedly being served in the eatery.

The canteen is popular with people staying in the Kerala House and outsiders. The police team, which questioned staff of the guest house and the canteen at the gate, was told that all meat served in the eatery was sourced from slaughter houses authorised by the Delhi government.

However, Kerala House decided to discontinue serving buffalo meat after the visit by the Delhi Police, which came against the backdrop of a raging debate on the beef ban and the lynching of a Muslim man in Uttar Pradesh over rumours that he had slaughtered a calf.