New Delhi: The Delhi High Court Wednesday asked Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and city police to ensure that no “beef and pork” festival takes place in the campus on Sep 28.
A student organisation of the university had announced plans to hold a beef-and-pork festival Sep 28.
A division bench of Acting Chief Justice A.K. Sikri and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw said: “The JNU and police are directed to ensure that no such beef and pork festival take place on Sep 28 and in future.”
The court’s direction came on a petition filed by Rashtriya Goraksha Sena seeking directions for JNU to initiate disciplinary action against organisations and not permit serving of beef and pork or anything that hurts religious sentiments.
The plea also sought direction for the Ministry of Home Affairs and city police “to enforce agencies to forthwith initiate preventive measures against the anti-social elements who have planned and declared beef and pork festival on Sep 28”.
With the proposed “beef-and-pork” food festival that sparked protests from right-wing groups, JNU authorities Sep 17 stepped in to prevent any further flaring of tempers, warning students against organising such an event.
Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Rajeev Mehra, appearing for the central government, submitted in the court a circular issued by JNU that warned students against the possession, consumption or cooking of beef on campus, pointing to the law that prohibits cow slaughter.
The notice cited the Delhi Agricultural Cattle Preservation Act of 1994, which specifies that a person found violating the law may land in jail for five years or have to pay a fine up to Rs.10,000 for storing or serving beef.
The plea said that an organisation named ‘JNU Foremention Committee for Beef and Pork Festival’, “which is a group of Maoists and anti-national forces has decided to serve beef and pork on Sep 28 at JNU premises in the name of right to eat, which in fact is a nefarious design to disturb the peace and educational atmosphere of the institution”. (IANS)