News Tamil Nadu

Dravidianists In Coimbatore Detained Try To Throw Beef At BJP Office

January 13, 2025
The Commune

On 13 January 2024, Aathithamizhar Katchi members were detained in Coimbatore for attempting to throw beef meat inside a BJP office as part of their protest.

The act of protest was in response a BJP functionary’s objections to a beef stall set up near the Veeramathi Amman Temple in Udayampalayam, Coimbatore. In response, five Aathithamizhar Katchi activists marched towards the Coimbatore BJP office, raising slogans and demanding the arrest of the BJP functionary. As they attempted to throw beef meat at the office, police intervened and arrested them before they could carry out their actions.

Context

Tensions escalated in Udaiyampalayam, a village on the outskirts of Coimbatore, over a beef biryani stall set up near the Veeramathi Amman Temple. Villagers protested, citing its proximity to the temple and a nearby school as violating local norms. The village, home to temples including Mariamman, Veeramathi Amman, and Karupparayan, had previously regulated such stalls in public areas near temples or schools.

The pushcart eatery, operated by Ravi and his wife Abitha, faced objections from BJP executive Subramani, who demanded its removal. An argument ensued, with Ravi initially agreeing to relocate the stall but Abitha refusing. Subramani recorded the exchange and posted the video on social media, claiming that the village supported the decision to prohibit beef sales and was known to CPM councillor V. Ramamoorthy.

Later, it is alleged that Abitha filed a complaint with the Coimbatore Police Commissioner, alleging that Subramani had threatened them on 25 December 2024, and again on 5 January 2025. She questioned why beef was being singled out while other non-vegetarian foods like fish and chicken were sold in the same area. Following her complaint, the police registered a case against Subramani under Sections 351(2), 126(2), 192, and 196.

The case triggered unrest among villagers, with over 1,000 locals staging a protest near the temple. They condemned the police action against Subramani and reiterated their demand to remove the beef stall. Protesters argued that the stall’s location near the temple and school was inappropriate and offensive to public sentiment.

In response to the escalating tensions, the village committee, reportedly on orders from the headman, evicted seven roadside eateries, including Abitha and Ravi’s pushcart. This decision was criticized by CPM and CPI leaders, who petitioned the police commissioner to protect food rights and ensure the couple’s safety.

Ramamoorthy acknowledged that the couple had initially informed him of their plans to open the stall but said the location they ultimately chose—closer to the temple—had caused opposition from right-wing groups. He said there were no legal restrictions against selling beef but attributed the backlash to the stall’s proximity to the temple. Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu BJP president K. Annamalai called for a thorough investigation, stating only part of the video had been released.

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