A Congress member in the Lok Sabha today appeared to be raking up the issue of meat shortage in Uttar Pradesh as he wondered whether lions in the state's zoos would have to survive on "palak paneer".
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said he felt bad after coming to know that in many zoos in Uttar Pradesh lions were not given meat and instead are fed with chicken.
"We are not providing meat to lion... Hope no one says tomorrow that lions should survive by eating palak paneer," he remarked.
He said India exports meat worth about Rs 28,000 crore every year but there is no meat for "sher and babbar sher (lions)".
As per reports, there is a shortage of meat for animals in zoos in Uttar Pradesh where the new government is preparing an action plan to close down illegal as well as mechanised slaughter houses.
After registering a landslide victory in the polls, the BJP government headed by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took over in the state on Sunday last.
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