Who’s got a beef with beef? The Hindutva brigade and the World Health Organization (WHO), that’s who. After all, beef is the red meat, and while WHO is certain processed meat is carcinogenic, it says red meat “probably is”—just like how one can never be certain whether the bovine kind has heavenly provenance but must say “probably does” in the face of those who are ready to lynch beef-eaters and cow-slayers. So, if you stretch the “enemy of my enemy” adage liberally, WHO is now in the unenviable position of having provided ammunition to saffron outfits’ ideological agenda. (Note, some outfits would have you give up all meat, including poultry and fish.)
That said, given WHO finds processed meat—such as ham, burger patties, sausages, bacon, etc—the bigger threat, carnivores in India may still eat without qualms because the culinary variety in the country is, thankfully, fixated on fresh meat. So, unless you are one of the big burger chains or a cold-cut retail shops, or the red meat of your preference is beef, go ahead and sink your teeth into some top-quality gosht.
