Haryana : Govt magazine editor sacked for listing beef as iron-rich food

The magazine "Shiksha Bharati" has included "beef" besides "veal" (meat of young cows) among four "enhancers" which "directly affect absorption of iron in human body."

The article details the importance of iron as "one of the important micro-nutrient which is required for human body on a daily basis and elaborates on the ill-effects of iron deficiency, its impact on health and various sources of iron.

Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma told reporters that the article "Iron-Vital for strength" was carried in the bi-lingual magazine which contains articles in Hindi and English and is published and printed by "President, Shiksha lok Society-cum-Director, Secondary Education" from the office of Director, Secondary Education, Haryana, Panchkula.

He said that the Editor of the magazine clarified that the article was carried as it was based on a scientific report. Beef was mentioned along with lamb, veal and pork as enhancers with other animal food in the article.

"We said that it should not have been published in the Haryana magazine. We have removed the Editor of the magazine," Sharma said adding further action in the matter will follow later.

The online edition of the 52-page magazine has been removed from the official website of the Primary Education Department.

However, the online edition of the magazine is still available on the official website of the Secondary Education Department.

Chief Minister Manohar lal Khattar, who had sparked a controversy saying that Muslims should give up eating beef if they want to live in India, is the chief patron of the body publishing the magazine with Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma as the patron.

The magazine in its initial pages carries a disclaimer saying the views mentioned are of the contributors and it was not necessary that the department agrees with the views.

Jawahar Yadav, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to the Chief Minister, declined to comment on the issue.

The Haryana Assembly had recently passed the Gau Sanrakshan Avm Gau Samwardhan Bill 2015' Bill which favours complete ban on cow slaughter in the state and rigorous imprisonment ranging from three years to ten years for killing the animal.