HYDERABAD : Ignoring a city court’s stay order on proposed beef and pork festivals slated for December 10, students at Osmania University on Tuesday consumed ‘beef’ biryani and kebabs and pledged to go ahead with their plans of holding the event.
The city civil court on Monday had ordered a stay on the food festivals, saying they were unlawful and breaks various animal rights laws. But adamant students announced that they would go ahead with the beef and pork festivals as they have not received an official notice from the city civil court regarding the stay order.
The organizers are also planning to move the Hyderabad High Court on Wednesday seeking to vacate the lower court’s order. Calling it a “food of minorities”, the students said they would appeal under the SC and the ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 too
“Everything will go as per our plans. We have enough support from a lot of political parties to run the show,” asserted Musavir Ali, a supporter of the beef festival.
On the other hand, the organisers of the proposed ‘pork festival’ have also decided to do play their piece. “We respect the civil court’s order, but we plan to conduct the festival without disrupting the students’ academic sessions and the administrative work,” assured Srinivas Solanki, an organiser of the pork festival.
On Tuesday, as policemen on campus watched closely, the students opened packets of beef items and distributed it among those present.
Meanwhile, the Osmania University Teachers Association (OUTA) raised concerns over disruptions in the academic calendar ahead of the semester exams set to begin from December 14. “The university doesn’t need such festivities as it only hampers the academics. Students must focus on studies during this period. But students are losing focus given the condition on campus,” said Battu Satyanarayana, president of OUTA.
Source : Times Of India
