NEW DELHI: Nearly 100 professors and scholars have protested have protested against the administration's action of booking cases in connection with a “beef festival” organized by Dalit and Muslim students on the campus of the Osmania University over a fortnight ago. Three professors – Dr P L Vishewaswara Rao, Dr Kancha Ilaiah and Dr Ansari – besides others were slapped cases for endorsing the festival. Several professors issued a joint statement expressing shock and condemning the action. According to them, the beef festival which was held mid-April was a symbolic gesture at asserting the traditions and food habits of Dalit (the downtrodden peoples of India) and backward students. They said, students cannot be forced on campus into eating something or abstaining from eating something they want to eat. In a statement jointly signed by them, they have appealed to all democratic and secular forces to support them. The festival was initially opposed by a Hindu right wing student organization, Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarti Parishad, but the organizers comprising several student organizations opposed to “food fascism” on campus, went ahead with it. Over 200 students and professors ate various dishes made of beef at the festival, which was followed for a few days by violent clashes between the two groups. Five students were injured and the violence which spread beyond the campuses and onto the streets of Hyderabad city also saw several public transport buses burnt. The main motive of the festival, according to the organizers was to highlight their demand for inclusion of beef in the menu of hostels at the University.
