Lunar eclipse chicken biryani feasts turn ugly in Odisha, clashes reported

BHUBANESWAR: The ongoing debate over consumption of food during eclipse turned ugly in Odisha, following a clash between ritualists and rationalists in different parts of the state after the latter allegedly tried to eat and serve chicken biryani to people to protest such “superstitious” restrictions on Tuesday.

A group of people reportedly belonging to Bajrang Dal pelted stones on the groups and scuffled with police in the capital city, while tension also prevailed in Berhampur following strong protest by members of Brahman Samaj, Viswa Hindu Parishand and Bajrang Dal against the biryani feast organised by the rationalists.

The Bajrang Dal activitsts and other traditionalists gheraoed the Lohia Academy near Unit-IX here where the rationalist society had organised a community feast to eat biryani and non-vegetarian food during lunar eclipse. The ritualists and traditionalists raised slogans, while some protestors allegedly pelted stones at the building from outside leading to injury to some persons inside.

Police and security personnel resorted to mild lathi charge to bring the situation under control. Police said eight protesters have been detained in connection to the violence and stone pelting. They, however, have not confirmed as to which group these protesters belonged to. The Kharavela Nagar police also received a complaint against the protestors. On the other hand, a scuffle also broke out in Berhampur where members of Brahman Samiti, VHP and Bajrang Dal strongly opposed the community feast organised by the Humanist and Rationalist Organisation.

Ritualists in both Bhubaneswar and Berhampur were seen throwing cow dung on the rationalists. “We don’t have anything to do with people’s food choices. But they should keep it to their homes. We strongly oppose such open slandering of traditional beliefs. The purposeful display of community feast is a deliberate attempt to defame our beliefs,” they alleged.

Members of Ganjam District Brahman Purohit Samiti even termed the community feast a ‘missionary conspiracy.’ On the other hand, Nabakishore Das, one of the rationalists, who sustained injury during the community feast at Lohia Academy and was later taken to the Capital Hospital for medical aid, said they have no intention to disrespect anyone’s belief. “We only wanted to prove that taking food during eclipse has no harmful effect. This is only a superstitious belief,” he said.