KOCHI: A Rajasthan man's call for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to step in against beef sales in Keralam has earned him a taste of Malayali humour on social media.
His post about spotting beef at a Kochi eatery has drawn hundreds of responses. Some have offered him recipes. Others have invited him to try the wide varieties of beef dishes Keralam has to offer.
Sanjay Sharma, a social media user, posted a photograph of an eatery and their dishes, saying he was deeply disheartened by seeing beef being openly sold at a roadside eatery in Kochi.
“Deeply disheartened by what I just witnessed here in Kochi, Kerala. I took this photograph just now of beef being sold openly and without hesitation at a local roadside restaurant. For a nation so deeply rooted in Hindu traditions and reverence for the cow, it is incredibly painful to see this happening on our streets. I earnestly appeal to Hon'ble PM Narendra Modi and Yogi Adityanath to take note of this and push for nationwide regulations that respect our sacred values. We need a uniform approach across all states to protect our faith and traditions,” he wrote on Facebook.
Several users questioned why Sharma wanted national intervention in the food choices of a state. “As Keralites, we'd rather ask 'Have you eaten?' than 'What did you eat?'” one user wrote. Another said they were reading the post while eating beef. A user from Meghalaya invited Sanjay Sharma to visit the state too. “We'll welcome you with beef,” the comment read.
Some also turned the appeal to Yogi Adityanath back on Uttar Pradesh. Pointing to the state's position as India's largest buffalo meat exporter, one user asked whether there was no shame in exporting the meat of the “mother” for consumption in Western countries. “And if you go a little further, you can get good pork too,” another commented sarcastically.
Users began listing Keralam's beef preparations, from fry and roast to pepper fry, stew, chilli beef and beef Manchurian.
In response to several comments, Sanjay Sharma shared his YouTube Shorts link featuring a thumbnail of cows on a road and carrying the caption “Stop killing innocent animals for taste”. The video includes visuals of the eatery and its menu board.
It was only in October that another North Indian influencer, Amrit Singh, landed in controversy after posting a video questioning an artwork depicting Mahatma Gandhi alongside Muhammad Ali Jinnah and the serving of beef at Kashi Art Cafe in Fort Kochi.
He also made claims about the Muslim population in Fort Kochi and alleged that Keralam was facing a threat.
The video triggered widespread backlash and led the Fort Kochi police to register a case against him for allegedly promoting communal enmity and provoking a riot.