KOCHI: Kerala Tourism has landed in a controversy after a tweet from its official handle on ‘beef fry’, a popular dish in the state, triggered a spate of angry reactions from a section of Twitter users, saying it “hurt their religious sentiments”.
“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 the spices, Kerala,” tweeted Kerala Tourism on Wednesday.
The tweet was considered in bad taste by a section of people, as it coincided with the Hindu festival of Makarasankranti, celebrated as Pongal, Bihu and Lohri in other parts of the country.
Many tweeted saying this was a day cows were worshipped, and the timing of the tweet could have been better.
A few Twitter users even called for a boycott of Kerala Tourism as the war of words escalated on social media.
Meanwhile, others pointed out that people in the state decide what to eat, and not because there’s a law dictating their food choices.
In many states, the slaughter of cows and bulls has been banned by the BJP government.
Kerala Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran said he was not aware of the issue and stressed that the ministry would never do anything to hurt the sentiments of anyone. “I will look into the issue. We want more and more people to visit Kerala. We will not do anything to hurt anyone’s feelings,” he told a news wire.
Meanwhile, in a move to take advantage of the situation, C T Ravi, tourism minister of BJP-ruled Karnataka, said he welcomes tourists, who are cancelling trips to Kerala, to Karnataka.
