‘Pork challenge’ to raise funds for Wayanad draws ire

KOCHI: Reacting to criticism over the “pork challenge” conducted by DYFI to collect funds for relief activities in landslide-hit Wayanad, the Left youth outfit has clarified that it was not done to offend any religious community.
DYFI Kothamangalam unit secretary Geo Pious said. “In our region, pork is one of the most consumed foods. Our intention was merely to collect funds for relief activities and not to offend a community,” Pious said.
The “pork challenge” was organized under the leadership of DYFI Kothamangalam municipal north area committee on Sunday to raise funds for construction of houses for Wayanad disaster victims.
As DYFI announced the challenge on Saturday, Sunni cleric Nasar Faizy Koodathayi took to social media, terming the event as “religious blasphemy, done under the guise of a challenge.”
“Most people suffering in Wayanad consider pork to be forbidden. Knowing this, DYFI Kothamangalam committee made it a challenge and raised funds, even though many permissible foods could have been used for the challenge. Raising funds with forbidden food for a large section of the distressed is an insult,” Koodathayi wrote on his post.