Don't avoid beef on biryani festivals: Tamil Nadu SC/ST Commission

Tirupathur (Tamil Nadu) [India], August 1 : Amid the row over the ban on beef biryani at Ambur Biryani Festival, the Tamil Nadu State Commission for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes on Monday said there is should not be any restrictions and discrimination towards beef biryani during district level biryani festivals.
A controversy was sparked over the ban on the sale of beef biryani at the Ambur Biryani Festival in Tirupathur. Later to avoid escalation of problems, the Tirupathur district administration postponed the Festival scheduled to be held between May 13-15, citing the reason as rain forecast.
In its statement, the State Commission for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes said, "We are accepting what Tirupathur Collector has said over Beef Briyani controversy that district administration did not do anything to discriminate people on caste base. In the coming days there should not be any restrictions and discrimination towards beef biryani on district-level biryani festivals. Also, beef biryani should not be avoided on biryani festivals which were conducted by district administration."
Earlier, Tamil Nadu State Commission for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes sought an explanation from the District Collector of Thirupathur for disallowing beef from biryani in the Ambur Biryani festival organised by the district administration.
The commission slammed the move as "discrimination" against the SC, ST and the Muslim community.
Notably. the Ambur Biryani fest, scheduled to be held from May 13-15 May at Ambur Trade Centre was temporarily cancelled citing the heavy rain forecast.
The collector's move to exclude beef biriyani from the festival was criticised by several outfits who demanded that the district administration reconsider its decision.