Kerala BJP Leader Uses Old Pic of Cow Slaughter to Decry Beef Fest

The photo reportedly dates back to 2009.

The photo used by the leader was an old photo, dating to 2009. (Photo: Facebook/K Surendran/Altered by The Quint)

Senior BJP leader from Kerala, K Surendran, has come under fire for using a dated photo for a Facebook post slamming the beef festival in the state. The BJP leader posted a photo of slaughtered cows lying on a pavement along with his appeal to the state government to take strict action against the beef festival, organised in protest of the new cattle slaughter rules.

(Photo: Screenshot from Alt News)

However, the photo in the post is not from the beef fest, but from 2009, Alt News found. The photo is suspected to be from Bangladesh, as the signboards in the background bear Bangla text. Facebook has hidden Surendran’s post, under the “mature content, such as graphic violence” tag.

Alt News carried a rough translation of Surendran’s post, which read: “The state government should immediately take steps to stop the beef festivals being organised across the state by youth organisations of the left and the congress and some terrorist organisations. The beef being distributed in these festivals are not being bought from legal meat shops. In many places, the festivals are being conducted by illegal slaughtering of the cattle in public. Many of these events are aimed at inciting tension. Anti-social elements and terrorists are making use of this situation. Lakhs of devotees are pained because the Dewaswom Minister (who is in charge of temples) himself was seen publicly consuming beef. Ministers and responsible social workers should stay away from such horrific protest movements. Everyone is free to hold protests. But, it is better that people desist from participating in protests which will cause ill-will among the public. We request everyone connected with this not to drag the nationalistic organisations into countering this.”

The photo has been making the rounds on social media for a few years now and is often accompanied by allegations of cow slaughter and subsequent arrests in UP and Kerala, the News Minute reported.

Photo Draws Ire From Opposition

Surendran’s post came under fire from a number of parties, including the CPI(M). However, the BJP leader responded with another Facebook tweet, this time aimed at CPI(M) leader Devasom Minister Kadakampally Surendran.

Respected Kadakampally Surendran, you have been objecting to the credibility of the photo which I have posted on my page. But let me ask you another question, on what grounds are you falsely saying that I consume beef? Whom are you trying to appease through the low-grade campaign, by pointing out the photo which is created in Photoshop and circulated?

Criticising him for having participated in the beef fest, Surendran said: "It is best for the people responsible for such events to abstain from conducting such events”.

I request you not to provoke nationalist groups.

(With inputs from Alt News and The News Minute)