Kerala Tourism Posts Beef Recipe Online, People Call It 'Ill-Timed' & 'Offensive'
Kerala Tourism official Twitter handle tweeted abouta beef recipe named Ularthiyathu which it described as the stuff of legends from the land of spices. Many people claimed the tweet hurt their religious sentiments since it contained a photo of beef. For many Indians eating beef is a huge taboo.
'To each his own,' they say. 'Respect everyone's choices' they say, but that's not what often get to see. We've only seen people being cornered online for eating what they like.
And it takes the smallest things to spark a fight in this context. More recently, Kerala Tourism official Twitter handle tweeted about a beef recipe named Ularthiyathu which it described as ¡°the stuff of legends from the land of spices¡±.
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 spices, Kerala: https://t.co/d7dbgWmlBw pic.twitter.com/aI1Y9vEXJm
¡ª Kerala Tourism (@KeralaTourism) January 15, 2020
On Wednesday, @KeralaTourism posted a photo of popular local delicacy ¡®Beef Ularthiyathu (beef fry)¡¯, with a link to the recipe on their website. However, many people claimed the tweet ¡®hurt their religious sentiments¡¯ since it contained a photo of beef.
For those unaware, beef became a popular dish 1,000 years ago and people have been enjoying the dish packed with the chillies, cardamom, black pepper, and cinnamon for years. But for many Indians, eating beef is a huge taboo.
The Kerala tourism beef recipe tweet was slammed by the some who somehow connected the timing of the tweet with Makar Sankranti and Mattu Pongal, a festival in which people worship cows.
Here's what people had to say:
#1
Dear @KeralaTourism ; pls avoid posting abt Pork on Eid & Beef on Makara Sankranthi days
¡ª Rahul Easwar (@RahulEaswar) January 16, 2020
Pls be culturally sensitive abt special holy days of all faiths
Pls show case our Food diversity without offending sensitivities. https://t.co/MSEiVU2t7z
#2
are you out of your mind? on Pongal and Sankranti when we revere Cows, Oxen, and Cattle for their contribution to mankind's easy existence and culture...on one hand we have Gangireddula meLam in Telugu states, Jallikattu in TN, and Kambala races in Karnataka and you showcase this
¡ª kaivalyam (@Telugutalli) January 16, 2020
#3
Come to #Assam and take the taste of smoked Pork, it's great to taste.....you can try Pork with bamboo shoots also. pic.twitter.com/XTVPDT9NTM
¡ª ???? (@iamSagarsinha) January 16, 2020
#4
Today is day we worship the holy cow. And this tweet is timed to outrage the Hindu belief. @narendramodi @HMOIndia to kindly take this seriously as an attack on our culture. @Twitter this is worse than abusing. Hope this account is banned forever.
¡ª @amburravi (@amburravi) January 16, 2020
#5
Dedicated to all Sanghis who have problem with our Diet and Culture. Here in Kerala we Hindus eat what we want including Beef and Pork and let others eat what they want.
¡ª Linoy Karunakaran (@LinoyKarunakar1) January 16, 2020
Proud to be a Keralite Hindu! pic.twitter.com/GNWndKowuj
While some claimed 'beef not to be Kerala's culture and that it was the 'devil who introduced it to God's own country,' others termed the recipe 'heavenly.'
Dr Vireandta Jilowa wrote, 'Surprised to see it, that beef is being consumed despite BJP government in the Centre.'
'We are not slaves of BJP at the Centre¡.people eat whatever they like in this state, including beef, pork, mutton and fish,' another user Tatheesh Vijayakumar wrote.
Mattu Pongal or the cattle festival is the third day of the Pongal festival which is celebrated in Tamil Nadu and some parts of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
The Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Harsh Vardhan had ordered that the ministry has notified the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules, 2017 to ensure that the sale of cattle is not meant for slaughter purposes.
