Kochi: He is the first Malayalai to gain entry into the three-and-half year old Narendra Modi ministry, that too with the independent charge of two portfolios that can have big impact on Kerala, but that is no reason for Keralites to spare Alphons Kannanthanam for the somersault he has done on the contentious issue of beef consumption. The tourism and IT minister who said on Wednesday that the BJP has no issues with Keralites eating beef made a u-turn on the issue while speaking to the media at a convention of the Indian Association of Tour Operators in Bhubaneswar. Asked whether a crackdown on beef consumption was adversely affecting tourism in the country, Mr Kannathanam said: “They can eat beef in their country and come to India.”
When mediapersons reminded him of his earlier statement, he added “that is a cock and bull story. I am not the food minister. I am the minister for tourism.” While many were generous with their comments on social networking sites saying that he was in fact the brand ambassador of Kerala Tourism and inviting people to go to Kerala, eat beef and then see the rest of India, the others were not so. The minister knows that India is one of the largest exporters of beef, and several of the companies are run by BJP leaders, and hence he was in fact promoting beef consumption outside, argued some.
Some insisted that the minister got a dressing down from the BJP leadership for supporting beef consumption and hence changed his opinion to save his new job. “Kerala should consider offering him an honourary citizenship,” commented one. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who feted his ‘long-time’ friend in Delhi on being appointed Union minister, was not spared either. Will he offer beef to the minister when he comes to Kerala, asked some posts.
