On October 9th the BMC issued tenders to buy food items for the animals in Jijabai Bhosale Udyan & Zoo, located in Byculla. In English and Marathi newspapers, the tender mentioned ‘buffalo meat’, for the carnivorous animals in that zoo.  But for Hindi and Gujarati newspapers, it was translated mistakenly as ‘beef’ or ‘cow meat’. The slaughter of cows and trade of beef is strictly prohibited in the state which led to the controversy.

Letter to BMC

Pointing this out, BJP leader Manoj Kotak wrote a letter to BMC commissioner Ajoy Mehta.

Wrote letter to muncipal commissioner ajoy mehta abt gaumans purchase tender notice is illigle to be withdrawen immed commissioner agreed to withdrew and give show cause notice to concern dept @Dev_Fadnavis @AmitShah @ShelarAshish pic.twitter.com/OT8ZG3Gxtl

— manoj kotak (@manoj_kotak) October 11, 2018

The letter reads, “Tender notice issued by BMC on various newspapers for buying food items for the animals of Jijabai Bhosale Udyan & Zoo, has mentioned about buying cow meat. According to Animal Preservation (Amendment) Bill of 2015, buying or selling of cow meat is illegal. Please cancel this tender and action should be taken against the officers who were responsible for issuing this tender so that such mistakes are not repeated.”

On Thursday, the officials associated with the publication of this tender were summoned for the explanation.
The BMC Public Relations Officer, Vijay Patil told The Logical Indian, “We issue ads only in Marathi and English languages, whereas the Hindi and Gujarati newspapers translate it for themselves. So there was a translation mistake by the newspapers, and it was not BMC’s fault.”

The zoo authorities confirmed to The Times of India, that they never demand to buy beef for the animals in the zoo. “Some of the animals in the zoo like hyenas are fed buffalo meat; we do not know how it got changed while being published in the newspaper,” said a zoo official to The Times Of India.

The Law

Maharashtra Animal Preservation (Amendment) Bill, 1995, which came into action in 2015, states that “…preservation of cows, bulls and bullocks useful for milch, breeding, draught or agricultural purposes and restriction on slaughter for the preservation of certain other animals suitable for the said purpose.” It also clearly states that no person can sell or purchase or offer to sell or buy cow meat.

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