Kerala: Congress suspends three youth members for butchering calf

Facing sharp criticism over the recent slaughtering of a calf by the party's youth activists in Kerala's Kannur, the Congress Party on Monday assured that such elements have no place in their party and hence have been suspended.

"What we saw is completely unacceptable and is alien to Indian civil society, our culture and founding principles. Such elements have no place in the Congress party or in our culture. India's culture is not to cause harm to anybody, any living being much less to the holy cow which we all celebrate," Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala told ANI.

He further informed that the workers involved in the killing have been already suspended by the youth congress.

However, the Congress didn't miss the opportunity to attack the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over its recent order against selling cattle and said, "May we also ask whether BJP will also give similar advise to BJP ruling government in Goa and to Manohar Parrikar and Kiren Rijiju who has been blotching over similar incident or to other BJP ruled states where such incidents are common."

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi had condemned the 'barbaric' incident while dubbing it as 'thoughtless and unacceptable.'

"What happened in Kerala yesterday is thoughtless, barbaric & completely unacceptable to me &the Congress Party. I strongly condemn the incident," Rahul said in a tweet.

Earlier Sunday, Kannur Police registered a case against district president of Youth Congress and other Congress workers under Section 120 (A) of the Kerala Police Act, for slaughtering calf in public view.

The police filed the case on the basis of a video where the president of Youth Congress, Rigil Pookkutty and other Youth Congress workers could be seen slaughtering the calf.

The incident comes amid hue and cry over Centre's new rule prohibiting sale of animals for slaughter or religious sacrifice at livestock markets and animal fairs.

Students' Federation of India (SFI) also staged a protest in Kerala against the ban by eating beef outside University College, Trivandrum.