Raid at Kerala House: Chief Minister writes to PM seeking action against Delhi Police

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Wednesday demanded action against Delhi Police officials who raided Kerala House premises on Monday over the allegation that its canteen was serving cow’s meat.

In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister urged him to instruct the Union Home Minister to take stringent action against those responsible for trespassing into the premises of the State Government property and ensure that this kind of incidents does not occur again.

Mr. Chandy said that a few unidentified persons accompanied by Delhi Police officials entered the Kerala House Premises and conducted a raid on the staff canteen around 4 pm on Tuesday. “They disrupted the functioning of the staff canteen alleging that cooked cow meat is being served based on wrong information.”

“The Delhi police personnel questioned the Kerala House Staff regarding the food items served at the canteen. This raid was conducted without any permission of, or even prior intimation to the Resident Commissioner, Government of Kerala or the Controller, Kerala House. The Government of Kerala has already lodged a formal complaint in the matter before the Commissioner, Delhi Police.”

He said that the Kerala House Staff canteen serves authentic vegetarian and non-vegetarian Kerala cuisine and the items in the menu are in accordance with and entirely within the confines of existing law.

“In the circumstances, I feel that the action of Delhi Police is highly objectionable and they have clearly overstepped their brief. They should have at least contacted the Senior State Government functionaries in Delhi for any clarifications before disrupting the smooth functioning of Kerala House,” Mr. Chandy said seeking personal intervention of the Prime Minister in the matter.