Beef ban advocate Rahul Easwar attacked in Kerala

Trivandrum - The protestors, who wanted Easwar to take back his comments against cow slaughter, also damaged his car.

By T K Devasia

Published: Fri 9 Oct 2015, 12:00 AM

Last updated: Fri 9 Oct 2015, 12:14 PM

A strong votary of beef ban was manhandled in Kerala on Thursday. Rahul Easwar, a noted TV personality and grandson of Sabarimala chief priest, was attacked by a group of students at Milad-E-Sherief Memorial (MSM) College at Kayamkulam in Aleppey district while returning after attending a seminar on cyber security.
The protestors, who wanted Easwar to take back his comments against cow slaughter, also damaged his car. A shocked Easwar termed the attack as part of cultural fascism and vowed to fight it tooth and nail.
Beef became a rallying point for students in Kerala after Sree Kerala Varma College at Trichur suspended six students and initiated a probe against a lecturer in connection with a beef festival organised by students in the college campus to protest against the lynching of a man in Uttar Pradesh.
Students unions, especially those belonging to the Left parties, protested the action by organizing beef festivals in several colleges. Many turned violent with the student wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party trying to prevent them.
Meanwhile, the move for action against Kerala Varma College lecturer Deepa Nishant for questioning the college management's stand against the beef festival has evoked strong protests from several quarters.
Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan accused the college management of implementing the Sangh Parivar agenda in Kerala. He has urged the secular forces to come out against the attempt to bring the communal agenda to the state. Congress MP KC Venugopal also condemned the probe ordered against the lecturer.
"Deepa has every right to express her independent opinion on issues affecting lives of people as long as India is a democratic nation," said Venugopal.
,who represents Aleppey Lok Sabha seat.
Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala urged the college management not to crucify the college lecturer for expressing her views on an issue concerning the citizens. He said that he had urged the authorities to review the action.
The minister said that the police will not prevent the beef festivals being organised by various organizations in the state as the government strongly believes that every citizen has right to decide what he should or should not eat.