In a new menu, prescribed for police trainees in Kerala, beef, mutton and pork are missing from the recommended list of dishes. The menu has raised a controversy with some media reports highlighting the absence of beef dishes, in light of the ban on the meat imposed in several other states of the country.
A police circular has been immediately issued to clarify that there is no such “ban” in any of the police training camps. The menu came as part of a recommended list of nutritious food advised by a dietician in consultation with the police. “There is no ban, and I believe beef is being served in several of the police canteens for lunch, even as we speak,” says Reji Jacob, Assistant Director (Admin) of Kerala Police Academy (KEPA).
Every menu is decided by a mess committee and it is only the standard menu, it doesn’t mean any of the omitted food dishes are banned, Reji Jacob says. The committee, includes among police officers, representatives of the trainees as well. “The menu is suggested after keeping in mind the age group of the trainees, the calories they require, and other details are provided. Pappadam is another item that’s not on the menu.
The standard menu includes an early morning tea/coffee/milk, breakfast at 8 am, mid-morning snack at 11 am, lunch at 1 pm, buttermilk at 2 pm, boiled snacks at 3.30 pm, juice or soup at 6 pm, dinner at 8 pm, among several other suggestions as drinking 10 to 12 glasses of water. “Red meat was advised to be avoided and that’s why it is missing in the menu,” Reji adds.
However, chicken, eggs and fish are available on the menu. “Beef maybe brought back if it is recommended. It is not a ban at all, but an option. They can have it any time they want,” Reji reaffirms.
The menu has absolutely no connection with the controversial ban on beef imposed on Thrissur Police Training Academy a few years ago, confirms another police source. S Suresh Rajpurohit, then Inspector General of the academy, had ordered a probe against beef being served at the canteen and the newly elected Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had spoken against it. The ‘unofficial’ ban was lifted in 2016, two years after it was imposed.