It's all Media creation: Kerala Police academy denies reports of excluding beef from menu

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 18: The Kerala Police Academy on Monday dismissed reports of a ban on beef on its campus and said the dish along with mutton have been excluded from the menu for new trainees based on dietitian's instructions.

Reacting to reports in a section of media that beef had been banned in the police canteen, academy Director B Sandhya, ADGP, said there was no such prohibition on the popular dish and dubbed the controversy a 'media creation'.

"Not only beef, but mutton is not included in the new menu issued. The menu was prepared according to the directions of the dietitians," she said.

The controversy surfaced close on the heels of the storm over a "beef fry" tweet by the Kerala Tourism on 'Makarasankranti' day last month. "Tender chunks of beef, slow-roasted with aromatic spices, coconut pieces, and curry leaves.

A recipe for the most classic dish, Beef Ularthiyathu, the stuff of legends, from the land of spices, Kerala," the tweet read along with a recipe link.

A section of Twitter users had expressed their displeasure over the timing of the tweet as it was posted on a Hindu festival.

Slamming the state, BJP MP Shobha Karandlaje had said the "Kerala communist govt have declared a war against Hindus of the state!", but the the CPI(M)-led LDF government clarified later its aim was not to hurt anyone's religious beliefs.