Jasoos Kutty will eat what he likes, mind it

Blogs like these usually start with, ”Many of my best friends are Muslims, yet…”. I won’t do that, not because I don’t have any Muslim friends, but because I don’t have any friends at all. My field of work, spying, doesn’t allow such pleasures.

What I intend to take up is a news report that appeared in The Indian Express. A school in Kerala run by a Christian management served pork curry to NCC cadets. The school teacher served fish curry and pickles to Muslim cadets, and pork curry to the those who wanted it. The issue was raised at the local mosque. Later protesters vandalised the school, beat up some teachers. To add teeth to the protests, the newsreport says,  people started coming from outside.

After the incident, the local community leaders have defended their actions. They appear as quotes in the news report.

“27 of the 100 cadets were Muslims.”

“40% of the students in the school are Muslims.”

“Pork was served during the holy month of Ramzan.”
 
 Now what I ask is, was any Muslim student served pork? If no, why the protests.

The defence given by the community leaders is just plain lame.

Do Muslims stop eating beef during Hindu festivals as a rule anywhere?

Now tomorrow, if Hindus, the majority community, demand everyone else must stop eating beef during their festivals, will their demand be justified?

The school principal and the teacher in charge of NCC have been suspended for now. The education department takes pains to justify the suspension, saying protests would have got worse if it wasn’t done. Incidentally, the department comes under a Muslim League minister.

Religion plays an important role in Kerala politics. Just a few months ago, during the Lok Sabha elections, the Christian community, wary of rising Muslim intolerance, looked eager to break bread with the BJP. What would surprise many is all this is happening in Kerala, which prides itself for being the most literate state. But this literacy is skin-deep. Kerala is as communal, narrow-minded and misogynist as any other state in the country.

You would wonder Kutty, who rarely eats pork, should get so worked up.
The way things are going, the right to eat what I like seems to be the only thing worth fighting for in this country.  

Jasoos Kutty will not let anyone else decide his diet.