Academic to host pork lunch in Delhi

Thiruvananthapuram: A Muslim academic in Delhi has provided some food for thought for those trying to impose their will on the food habits of the people. 

Though Muslims don’t eat pork  as the Quran has forbidden it,  Mr N. P. Ashley, an assistant professor in Delhi's St Stephen's College,  has offered to  give pork lunch for five persons in a Delhi restaurant to uphold the people’s right to eat the food of their choice. 

He  does not eat pork for religious, cultural and personal reasons, but has no objections to anyone consuming  it. 

He has made this offer in the wake of the killing of a   58-year-old Muslim, Mohammed Akhlaq, by Hindutwa fanatics in Dadri,  for eating beef.

Mr Ashley wrote in the Facebook:  “I have decided to offer to take 5 people who like to eat pork from Delhi out for lunch and order them their favourite pork dish.   Kindly inbox me your number, name and place of stay so that we can decide on a convenient restaurant. The offer is open to all, regardless of whether I know them or not.  I know eating pork is not banned anywhere in India. Nor has anyone got beaten to death for it. But it is good to give some of these people a sample of democracy, choices and humane, friendly behaviour,” he  said.

Mr Ashley told DC that he had received a lot of mail supporting him and around 50 had expressed interest in joining the lunch.  “Some Marxists were critical that I stated my  position as a Muslim. I see it as stupidity,”  Mr Ashley said.

“Hindutwavadis are out to discredit me  saying I am lying, that I have done this for publicity and that I am communalising the issue. Muslim outfits other than the Jamaat-e-Islamists have been largely supportive. However, I have no threat from them either,” Mr Ashley said.

Students and online friends liked this small  step to reject the beef-pork polarity through communicative action, Mr Ashley said.