The Tirupattur district administration on Thursday postponed the Ambur Biryani Festival slated to be held from May 13 to 15, citing the rain forecast even as controversy broke out over the ban on the sale of beef and pork biryani at the event.
Acting on a petition, the Tamil Nadu State Commission for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes issued a notice to the Tirupattur Collector Amar Kushwaha questioning the “discrimination on communal basis”.
The administration had permitted only chicken, mutton, fish and prawn biryani to be sold at the festival. This had drawn criticism from Islamic and Dalit outfits, with even the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), an ally of the ruling DMK, disapproving of the ban on beef and pork biryani.
The SC/ST Commission said not allowing beef biryani to be sold amounted to discrimination against Dalits and Muslims.
“This Commission has chosen to take up the matter for inquiry as a practice of untouchability against the SC/ST and Muslim population, who account for more than 2 lakh of the population [in Ambur],” the Commission said and asked the Collector why the exercise should not be taken as “discrimination on communal basis” and action initiated for such an “official discrimination.”
Reacting to the Commission’s notice, Mr. Kushwaha contended to The Hindu ,“The programme has already been postponed. After the announcement, the notice is null and void.”
Meanwhile, officials said efforts would be taken to hold talks with all stakeholders to organise the festival in the town soon.
