Beef may soon appear in government hostels in Tamil Nadu. The government is considering this issue due to student requests. This was reported on Tuesday by the Minister of Social Justice of Tamil Nadu, Vanni Arasu.
He specified that some groups of students have appealed to include beef in the diet at government hostels. The minister noted that any decision will be made after discussing the matter with the relevant officials.
During an inspection of the hostel conditions in Saidapet by M. S. Raja, he spoke with journalists. He stated that many residents from rural areas of the hostels requested the addition of beef to the existing meat dishes.
The minister mentioned that mutton and chicken are currently served in government hostels, and biryani is planned for Monday. However, he added that a group of students from rural areas stated that mutton is relatively expensive and they do not eat it, so they requested the inclusion of beef in the menu.
He emphasized that since the opinions of students living in the hostels differ, the final decision will only be made after consultations with responsible authorities.
The minister also said that the department is already making changes to the hostel menus based on student feedback, such as replacing less popular dishes like upma and sevai (vermicelli porridge) with staple snacks like idli and dosa.
Meanwhile, Dr. K. Krishnasamy, founder and president of Puthiya Tamilagam (PT), criticized the minister's statement about the possibility of including beef in the hostel menu. Krishnasamy warned that such a decision should not be made, insisting that the diet of students in the hostels must provide balanced nutrition, including protein and necessary vitamins.
