MHA to submit report to PMO on Kerala House beef row

New Delhi: Amidst threats of legal action from Kerala government, the Home Ministry will submit a report to the Prime Minister's Office on the row over Delhi police "raid" at Kerala House on a complaint that its canteen served 'beef'.

"A report incorporating the details of the incident in Kerala House will soon be submitted to the PMO so that a proper reply could be sent to the Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, who shot off a letter terming Monday's incident as "highly objectionable," a senior official said.

The report to the PMO will be based on the information provided by the Delhi Police.

The Delhi Police provided the details about the incident after Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to city Commissioner of Police B S Bassi.

The Delhi Police has conveyed that it has received a telephonic intimation from a caller on October 26 at 4.21 pm that cow meat is being served in Kerala House here.

After receiving the information, PCR staff and local police including SHO/Connaught Place reached the Kerala House, and upon getting information about scuffle inside the campus, went to the reception and restaurant of the canteen, a report by Delhi Police said.

When SHO with staff reached, there was no scuffle. The SHO asked for the manager so that the PCR call matter can be brought to the notice of the manager, the report stated.

However, the person available told that there is no manager and it is an all staff-run canteen. The person available was intimated about the PCR call who denied that cow meat is served.

The menu was neither displayed nor shared with the police by the canteen staff. The canteen staff told that the menu is prepared on daily basis and no copy of the menu is available with them, the report said.

The Delhi Police report said during the conversation that the staff member of the canteen was briefed by police to remain alert and inform the police in case of any issue or vandalism.

Thereafter, the SHO Parliament Street alongwith PCR staff took position at the gate so that no untoward incident, vandalism or mischief takes place, the report stated.

The Kerala government has threatened legal action if the Centre does not admit that the "raid" by police at the state-run guest house on Monday was a "mistake".

Maintaining that the Delhi police action has affected Centre-State relations, the Kerala Cabinet at its meeting today discussed the matter and decided to take legal course if the Centre also stuck to the explanation given by Delhi police that "they only did their duty and carried out an inspection in accordance with law".

"The raid conducted without the permission of state officials at the state-run official guest house crossed all limits of propriety, violated law and also affected Centre-State relations," Chandy said in Thiruvananthapuram.

Chandy had also written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh on the issue.