Kerala HC Imposes Ban On Activist Rehana Fathima For Referring Beef Dish As 'Gomatha'

Fathima referred to the dish being cooked on the cookery show that was aired on social media as ‘Gomatha Ularth’.

(File Photo/ PTI)

The Kerala High Court on Monday while imposing restrictions on activist Rehana Fathima who sparked controversy after referring to beef as ‘Gomatha’, said that referring to meat as ‘Gomatha’ on a cookery show is likely to hurt the feelings of Hindus.  Fathima referred to the dish being cooked on the cookery show that was aired on social media as ‘Gomatha Ularth’. This comes after, a complaint was filed against Fathima under Section 153 of the Indian Penal Code by the police, which alleged that in a bid to hurt the sentiments of the Hindu community, while describing the recipe during the show, the activist intentionally stated that she was cooking the meat of 'Gomatha'. "There cannot be any dispute that the term 'Gomatha' as is commonly understood is with reference to the holy or sacred cow. Scriptures quoted by the complainant show that, since the Vedic period, the cow is revered as holy as deities, in India. If it is so believed by several lakhs of Hindus throughout the country, definitely, the use of the term Gomatha as a synonym for meat used in a cookery show, prima facie is - likely to wound the religious feelings of those believers," the High Court said. The high court said that till now it has not come across any material on record to establish that 'Gomatha' can be used as another term for meat anywhere in the country. "Choice of the word 'Gomatha Ularth' prima facie appears to be ill-motivated and purposefully made and that uploading of such a highly objectionable video for public viewing may affect the Fundamental Right of the devotees," a single-judge bench of Justice Sunil Thomas said, as per Live Law. The court further observed that the activist, in order to hurt the sentiments of any religious community, violated the conditions of bail imposed on her. Fathima has been on bail, in relation to a case concerning Lord Ayyappa of Sabarimala, wherein offensive materials were published. After which, the Kerala High Court imposed a banned her from airing her opinion, on matters that could hurt religious sentiments of any community, through any kind of media, including social media. The court said Fathima should not voice her opinion on such matters until the trial in the Sabarimala case concludes.