Chennai, Jan 13 (NationPress) Tensions flared up near the BJP office in Coimbatore on Monday when members of the Tamil Nadu Dalit political party, Aathi Thamizhar Katchi, hurled beef near the party premises.

The event unfolded on VKK Menon Road, Coimbatore, with the meat landing on the street, roughly 50 meters from the BJP office. A group of five demonstrators assembled outside the MDMK office on the same road, brandishing their party flags and chanting slogans.

Vincent, the district president of Aathi Thamizhar Katchi, asserted that consuming beef was their right. The protesters subsequently tossed images of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath onto the road before being intervened by the police.

This protest was triggered by a BJP functionary’s disapproval of a beef stall positioned near the Veeramathi Amman Temple in Udayampalayam, Coimbatore.

The controversy originated in Udaiyampalayam, a village on the outskirts of Coimbatore, concerning a beef biryani stall run by Ravi and his wife, Abitha. The stall’s placement near the temple and a nearby school sparked objections from villagers and local BJP leader Subramani.

Villagers contended that establishing the stall close to places of worship and educational institutions breached local norms. Subramani insisted on the stall’s removal, resulting in a confrontation with the couple. While Ravi initially consented to relocate, Abitha resisted. Subramani later recorded their exchange and shared the video on social media, claiming community opposition to the beef stall.

In retaliation, Abitha lodged a police complaint, accusing Subramani of threatening them on December 25, 2024, and January 5, 2025. She also challenged the selective targeting of beef sales, emphasizing that other non-vegetarian items like chicken and fish were sold in the same vicinity without issue.

Following Abitha’s complaint, police initiated a case against Subramani under various sections of the Indian Penal Code. However, this case incited unrest among villagers, leading over 1,000 locals to demonstrate near the temple, demanding the beef stall's removal and opposing police actions against Subramani.

Under duress, the village committee expelled seven roadside eateries, including Ravi and Abitha’s stall, as per orders from the village headman. This decision faced criticism from CPM and CPI leaders, who claimed it infringed on food rights and endangered the couple’s safety.

CPM councillor V. Ramamoorthy clarified that while no legal barriers existed against beef sales, the stall's proximity to the temple incited opposition.

He acknowledged that the couple had initially sought his advice but ultimately established the stall in a sensitive area. The protest escalated to the BJP office when members of Aathi Thamizhar Katchi demanded action against Subramani under the National Security Act (NSA) and called for a ban on the BJP.

The demonstrators threw beef near the BJP office and shouted slogans before being apprehended by the police. The five detained members were held at a marriage hall. Tamil Nadu BJP President K. Annamalai urged a comprehensive investigation into the incident, while tensions persist in the region.