Beef Biryani to be served on “popular demand”: Aligarh Muslim University menu for residents spark row

The Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) has courted a fresh controversy, this time for hurting the sentiments of not just of Hindu students enrolled in the university, but also the Hindu community at large. Notably, a notice is currently going viral on social media in which the AMU Dining Hall management has informed all the residents that “on popular demand” they have altered the Menu to be served. Alarmingly, the only change mentioned in the Menu is the replacement of Chicken Biryani with “Beef Biryani” and it encourages residents to “enjoy” the new addition.  

The content of the contentious and criminally liable notice is as follows –

Header: Notice to All Residents (dated 09.02.25, Sunday)

The notice informs students about the Menu change stating, “This Sunday’s lunch menu has been modified based on popular demand. Instead of Chicken Biryani, we will be serving Beef Biryani. This change is in response to numerous requests from our resident members.”

We hope you “enjoy the new addition” to our menu. The officials mentioned in the notice include Md. Faiyazullah and Mujassim Ahmad Bhati, both of them are Senior Food official for the AMU’s Dining Hall, as per the notice. 

While serving, storing and consumption of beef, especially in public places is prohibited and a criminal act in the state of Uttar Pradesh, the in-your-face language of the letter has been deliberately framed in such a way to provoke Hindus. It seems to be posing a challenge to the law enforcers. This comes against the backdrop that beef is the meat of cow, revered and sacrosant as Maa for the Hindu community. 

Consequently, the AMU notice corresponding the Menu change has sparked a widespread outrage among the Hindu community who have flagged the brazen violation and the act of deliberatly inciting comunal tensions and disturbing social harmony in the state. 

Also Read: Assam takes the lead in curbing Cow slaughter, extends Beef Ban across the state

Several netizens have shared this criminally liable notice demanding a strict action against those who have attempted to disturb social harmony and hurt the religious sentiments of the Hindu students and Hindu community at large. 

As per the legal provisions enforceable within the territory of UP, The Uttar Pradesh Prevention of Cow Slaughter Act, 1955, prohibits cow slaughter, sale of beef, or transport of beer besides criminalising causing physical injury to cows and their progeny. It was amended in 2020 and it made cow slaughter punishable with imprisonment for 10 years and a fine of up to Rs five lakh.