HYDERABAD: Some student organizations has planned a beef festival at the Osmania University on December 10. While Democratic Cultural Forum, an umbrella organization representing 15 student organizations of OU has decided to serve beef delicacies to over 5,000 participants during the ‘Peddakoora Panduga’, members of ABVP, BJP, and a Gou Rakshana Samiti have started the vigorous campaign against the fest.

Opposing beef festival in Osmania University in Hyderabad, BJP MLA Raja Singh has called it a political conspiracy who even threatened to “kill” anyone to protect cows and stop the festival. “We are ready to kill or get killed to protect the ‘gou mata’. We have the right to stop cow killers. This festival is a political conspiracy for votes,” he said. The lone BJP MLA from the city, who represents Goshamahal, has warned the organizers against hurting the sentiments of the Hindus. He said that people have the right to eat anything of their choice, but not to hurt religious sentiments of people in the name of their freedom of choice.

The supporters of the festival planning a five-km run on December 7 to muster support for the festival. Raja Singh, however, called for a counter rally, ‘Chalo OU’ protest on the day of the fest on his social networking page. He warned against such a festival to avoid Dadri type of incident from taking place in Telangana. Reiterating his stand, he said, “as Hindus, we have to stop the beef festival.”

“Granting permission for any run depends on the subject or the purpose. If any event may lead to law and order issues, we will not allow such a program,” DCP Limba Reddy said. However, the organizers are determined to hold the festival saying the “we will not seek permission as it is our right to eat whatever we want.”

The organizers, however, have decided to stick to event planning stating the festival was announced to oppose a culture of marginalization and victimization of Dalit-Bahujan-Minorities in the country for whom beef is a culinary choice. Students had also invited several participants from across the country including political leaders from Karnataka and Kerala, State party leaders including Asaduddin Owaisi and Shabbir Ali Md, other than TRS bigwigs including Minister Harish Rao. CPI has also extended its support for the festival.

A beef festival which was organized in 2012 too has led to violence and clashes.