A Canara Bank branch in Kerala’s Kochi city organised a beef protest by eating meat in public, after the newly appointed regional manager allegedly imposed a ban in the canteen.
The protest was staged on Friday, August 28, outside the office. The Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI) had initially planned a protest outside the office, serving beef and parotta, Kerala’s iconic combo, to oppose manager Ashwini Kumar’s alleged mental harassment and insulting behaviour towards staff. However, after news of the beef ban emerged, the federation shifted the focus of its protest to highlight the ban instead, The News Minute reported.
KT Jaleel, an independent politician, also showed his support, condemning the actions of the branch manager for attempting to control cultural freedoms. “It is not up to ‘superior’ officers to decide what to wear… eat… or think. No scandal of Sanghis will happen in Kerala,” he posted on Facebook.
Emphasising that the protest is not just the beef ban but the alleged abusive behaviour, BEFI state president SS Anil recounted instances where the senior official publicly humiliated employees. “The person abused and shouted at the cashier in front of the customers,” he was quoted by TNM.
“These kinds of officers make public sector banks hostile to both the public and employees. Food is our personal freedom. In a republic, as per the Constitution, it’s our decision what to eat, so we protested by eating beef,” Anil said.
Bank authorities have not responded to the protests as of now.
