Hyderabad police on Thursday said there is no question of allowing ‘beef festival’ in Osmania University campus, as proposed by a group of students, now that the varsity authorities have refused permission to it.
A Leftist students’ organisation had declared that it would hold a ‘beef festival’ on December 10 in the campus, coinciding with the World Human Rights Day. “It will not be allowed. We will make all security arrangements to ensure that peace and tranquillity prevails on the OU campus,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (East Zone) A Ravinder said. “For conducting any programme on university campus, one has to approach the OU authorities and now that they have already denied permission to hold any kind of festivals (beef or any other kind), the question of our giving permission to them does not arise,” he said. Another group of students had announced plans to organise a ‘pork festival’ in the university campus on the same day, setting the stage for a confrontation. OU authorities had said on Wednesday that activities such as ‘beef festival’ and ‘gau (cow) puja’, which are not related to academics and research, will not be permitted on the campus.
Showdown looms over ‘Beef’ festival
A showdown appears to be on cards on Thursday with the defiant students’ group deciding to conduct a ‘Beef Festival’ on December 10 in Osmania University campus despite university authorities’ refusal of permission and a BJP MLA Raja Singh vowing tostop it.