The Centre’s ban on the sale of cattle for slaughter in animal markets has triggered protests in Kerala with the student wings of the Left and Congress holding beef fests across the state.
Tasked with defending the Centre’s move in Kerala, BJP leader K Surendran on Saturday hit out at Congress MLA VT Balram for attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Balram has lost his mental balance. He should be treated in a mental hospital," lashed out Surendran. He slammed Balram for using language that was not befitting of a public individual and said he could not give a reply to the Thrithala MLA in words, reported Mathrubhumi Online.
Balram, who is also a Youth Congress leader, had taken to Facebook to criticise the Modi government for the new cattle slaughter rules. “First you all have to check if all the people in the country are getting something to eat,” his Facebook post read. But what appears to have irked Surendran is the Malayalam slur that Balram used against right-wing activists and against Surendran.
The BJP has come under attack from other leaders as well. On Saturday, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan wrote a letter to PM Modi urging him to repeal the new order on cattle slaughter. He also said that it was wrong on the Centre's part to have made such a rule without consulting states.
Reacting to the CM’s letter, Surendran said, "Pinarayi Vijayan's argument that the Centre's order questions the federal system of the county is not right."
Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala also hit out at the Union Environment Ministry’s new rules, stating that the ban is a violation of human rights. Ramesh even called it a 'mad decision' and said the United Democratic Front which is in the opposition in the state will observe a black day in the state on Monday. Former Union Minister and senior Congress leader AK Antony has also urged the Centre to discard the new order.