HYDERABAD: Seeking to bust rumours associating Coronavirus outbreak with consumption of chicken, mutton, fish or egg, Minister for IT and Industries, KT Rama Rao said on Friday that chicken and eggs are staple food in his house. He also ate a fried chicken leg piece in front of a large crowd of people, along with other ministers including Excise Minister, V Srinivas Goud, Animal husbandry Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav and Health Minister, Eatala Rajender.
Rao was speaking at an event called ‘Chicken and Egg Mela’ organised by Telangana Poultry Breeders Association, Telangana Poultry Federation and National Egg Coordination Committee, where visitors were given free fried chicken and eggs to eat. The event was conducted in view of the declining sales of chicken and egg in Telangana and other states due to rumours being spread on social media, linking Coronavirus with consumption of meat.
Speaking at the event, Rao stressed that one need not worry about eating chicken, mutton, fish or egg. He added that as the Indian way involves cooking meat at very high temperatures for long periods, no virus can survive, making the meat safe to eat. He also said that the State government will soon be coming out with a new policy for the poultry industry.
He also pointed out that poultry industry is a major consumer of maize which is grown over a large area in the State. Chevella Member of Parliament and president of the poultry breeders association, Dr G Ranjith Reddy was also present at the event. The event which started at 4 pm, saw hundreds of enthusiastic visitors participate. However, the event organizers did not start distributing the free chicken until the ministers arrived for the event.