MBT condemns police for foiling Beef Festival; describes it as ‘Black Day’ in OU history

 

Hyderabad, December 10: The Majlis Bachao Tahreek (MBT) has strongly condemned the high-handed behaviour of Hyderabad City Police in its bid to foil the Beef Festival in Osmania University campus on Thursday.

 

“December 10 will be remembered in the history of Osmania University as a Black Day. The city police and entire administration fell pray to the hype created by BJP MLA T. Raja Singh over conduct of Beef Festival. The students and leaders, who were supporting the festival, were arrested and a scene was created as if some major crime was going to take place. Even a lady reporter, who came to cover the event, was brutally assaulted by the police personnel,” MBT leader Amjed Ullah Khan said in a media statement today.

 

Amjed Ullah Khan, who was arrested by the police in the morning itself, said that the behaviour of Hyderabad City Police has raised several suspicions over its intentions. City Police Commissioner M. Mahender Reddy completely ignored the provocative statements issued by Raja Singh for the last so many days. “Raja Singh even threatened to replicate the horrible Dadri incident in the city and warned that he would kill people if they eat beef. But no action has been taken against them. Contrary to this, everyone who supported the festival were specifically targeted and harassed. Everyone has a right to eat food of their choice. The City Police should understand the difference between “eating beef” and “cow slaughter”. Beef eating is legally permissible and GHMC issues licenses for the beef shops. However, Hyderabad Police appear to have carved out a new definition of “Beef” and behaved as if they were dealing with some anti-terror operations,” he said.

 

Amjed Ullah Khan congratulated the Dalit students of Osmania University for withstanding the opposition by communal BJP leaders by organising the Beef Festival despite extreme pressure by the Hyderabad City Police. He said MBT would extend complete support to the OU students and would continue to fight against Sangh Parivar and its agents like Raja Singh who wants to suppress the freedom of people.