Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Tuesday dubbed as "unwarranted and unfortunate" the police entry into Kerala House in Delhi that made it take off buffalo meat from its menu.
"The police action is not acceptable. Delhi Police was wrong in what they did," Chandy told the media here.
"Kerala House is not a private hotel. It's the official building of the Kerala government. We will take appropriate steps after going through all that happened yesterday (Monday)," he said.
Following protests outside its premises, Kerala House removed beef curry from its menu after a little known group, Hindu Sena, lodged a police complaint that beef was served there, an official told IANS.
Kerala House made it clear that what it served was buffalo meat although it was called beef in English.
Former defence minister A.K. Antony, who is in Thiruvananthapuram to take part in the campaign for local body elections, said he would comment on the incident after finding out what happened in Kerala House.
"No one can dictate what one should eat, what one should wear, what one should write," he said.
"It's sad and very grave that people are being killed when one does what they like. It began since the Narendra Modi government took office," the former chief minister said.
Twenty police officials went to Kerala House on Monday evening to verify if its canteen served beef, Deputy Commissioner of Police Jatin Narwal told IANS.
Keeping in mind the beef-related untoward incidents taking place in the country, police went to Kerala House to verify the facts, Narwal said.
Kerala House said it served only buffalo meat in its canteen and called it "beef". But it had decided to take the dish off its menu.
Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said he would meet Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung with a complaint against the police action. Delhi Police reports to Jung and to the central home ministry.
"Kerala House is the establishment of the Kerala government. If anyone had any grievance, they should have taken the accepted route and not sent police for a raid," said Chennithala.
