Mon Dec 09 17:41:43 UTC 2024: ## Egg-cellent Protest Erupts Over Meat Ban at Kannada Literary Festival

**Mandya, Karnataka –** A controversy has erupted over the proposed ban on non-vegetarian food at the 87th Akhila Bharata Kannada Sahitya Sammelana, a major Kannada literary festival scheduled for December 20th in Mandya. The Kannada Sahitya Parishat (KSP), the organizing body, initially included non-vegetarian food alongside alcohol and tobacco on a list of restricted items at the festival venue. This decision sparked immediate outrage.

Following the backlash, the KSP swiftly removed non-vegetarian food from the restricted list, claiming that food arrangements are handled by a separate 35-member committee headed by MLA A.B. Ramesh Babu Bandisiddegowda. KSP president Mahesh Joshi stated that the KSP itself has no role in these arrangements.

However, the damage was done. Activists from the Federation of Progressive Organisations staged a protest on Monday, publicly eating eggs in front of the Mandya District Commissioner’s office to highlight their opposition to the initial ban. Protesters argued that the restriction is undemocratic, particularly considering Mandya’s reputation for its non-vegetarian cuisine and the historical presence of non-vegetarian dishes in Kannada literary tradition, citing examples from the 12th-13th century text *Manasollasa*.

The protesters are demanding that the ban be completely lifted, allowing free access to non-vegetarian food at the festival’s commercial outlets and even calling for the provision of chicken and eggs alongside vegetarian meals for all attendees. They issued a strong warning that if the ban remains, they will collect and distribute chicken and eggs themselves during the event. The issue remains unresolved, with the festival organizers’ response pending.

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