Earlier today, IIT Madras PhD scholar R Sooraj was beaten up for conducting beef fest.
After a Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) - Madras PhD scholar was allegedly beaten up on Tuesday by right-wing students for organising "beef fest" in the campus, one of his friends Azhar said that it was reported as beef party, but the event was to have normal discussion within the institute on Centre's ruling on cattle slaughtering and to raise awareness.
"It is being reported as a beef party. It was not a celebration of the right for us to consume beef. Major point for the event was to have discussion within the institute about the effects of the Centre's ruling on cattle slaughter and to raise awareness," Azhar said.
Azhar also demanded the institute to take strict against the culprits. "The guy who attacked him (R Sooraj) is Manish. He held Sooraj's head downwards and started punching him all over his face and started yelling that this is what will happen if you eat beef in the institute. Manish claimed to fracture his hand and he also began threatened us. There will be protests regarding this inside the IIT campus. The person who attacked should be expelled. Action should be taken by the institute," he added.
Taking cognizance of the incident, the IIT authorities said an inquiry will be conducted by the institute and appropriate action will be taken based on its outcome. A spokesperson for IIT Madras said, "There was an altercation between two students and both of them sustained injuries. Immediately appropriate medical attention was given." The spokesperson added, "An inquiry will be held by the institute and appropriate action will be taken based on its outcome.
A senior police official said a formal complaint was yet to be received but an inquiry was being held into the matter. "We will register a case on receipt of a complaint," the official told PTI.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also condemned the attack on the student, who hails from Kerala, calling it unfortunate. "Our Constitution has given us the freedom to consume the food of our choice and any act of intolerance is a violation of the basic rights enshrined in the Constitution," the chief minister said in a statement. Vijayan said he would ask the Tamil Nadu chief minister to take necessary action against those responsible for the attack on Sooraj.
Sooraj, associated with the Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle, was allegedly assaulted by some students who claimed to be Sangh Parivar supporters, according to the victim's associates for conducting "beef fest" in IIT. He has been seriously injured in his right eye. A group of 70 to 80 students held the beef festival on Sunday evening to demonstrate against the Centre's notification.
Earlier this week, expressing strong disapproval of the Centre's move, Pinarayi Vijayan had sent a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, by attacking the BJP-led government at the centre and the RSS, saying there was no need for the people of his state to draw lessons from New Delhi or Nagpur on their food habits.
(With agency inputs)
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