Bombay Gym in the soup again, now over beef in its samosas

Following this discovery a few days ago, a storm is gathering in the gym because of the religious sensibilities involved and the fact that even among meat-eaters, beef is not a particular favourite in India.

The issue came out in the open about ten days ago. Subsequently, it transpired that beef had substituted mutton a some time ago possibly because it is less expensive by half.

The members are incensed because not only were they being charged for mutton while being served beef, the gym’s management had not thought it necessary to respect the right to information of the members, specially on such a sensitive issue as serving beef. (Beef is not banned in Mumbai but selling beef under some other name would amount to breach of trust of the customers.)

There are three kitchens in the gym that are overseen by the club’s Catering Secretary. While the one that makes chinese food and another that makes continental and Indian have been leased to a private caterers, the third that serves the gym’s menu is run entirely by the gym. To the great consternation of the members, it is this third kitchen that has been spiking their samosas.

As more and more members learn of the deceit, the demands for the head of the Brahmajit, the catering secretary, is gaining momentum forcing the managing committee — the highest governing body of the club — to call an emergency meeting on Wednesday evening. At the closed-door meeting, it is learnt that club president, Gautam Thakker and his deputy, Darais Udwadia, dug into Brahmjit for serving beef. Apparently, Brahmjit claimed he was not the first secretary to allow this to happen. No other details were known and both Thakker and Udwadia were not reachable at the gym (this reporter was not allowed entry) and were not available at home even late at night.

Brahmjit, it is learned, had been embroiled in a case of misappropriation of some cellphone of the gym some time ago. But a committee headed by Udwadia to enquire into the charges exonerated him.

Beef is such a tricky issue in the country that fast food major MacDonald actually takes care to announce it does not use beef in its products and in some state cow slaughter and sale of beef are banned.

This is the second major controversy to hit the gym in the last few months and with the elections for the new managing committee just two weeks away, it is unlikely that this issue will die a quiet or a quick death.