India

After Saoji mutton jibe, Maharashtra food safety chief warned by government

By cpstestersofficial@gmail.com · August 7, 2026 · 4 min read

3 min readUpdated: Aug 6, 2026 07:51 PM IST

The Maharashtra food safety chief, Tukaram Mundhe, on Thursday received his first warning from the Maharashtra government amid his ruthless crackdown against the state food industry, and days after his remarks on Vidarbha’s famous Saoji mutton sparked criticism. Revenue Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Chandrashekhar Bawankule, without naming the food safety chief, asked ‘officials’ to avoid making remarks against a particular business, saying the Saoji business is the pride of Vidarbha.

Earlier this week, the food safety chief said at an event that: “If I eat this Saoji mutton, I will fall sick for a month and have to go to the hospital.”

For the past few months, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA), under Tukaram Mundhe, has come under severe criticism, including from the Bombay High Court (HC), for its action against those violating food safety norms.

Just hours after Tukaram Mundhe clarified that he was speaking for himself when he remarked on Saoji mutton, Chandrashekhar Bawankule warned, “The Saoji business is the pride of Vidarbha. It is the basis of livelihood for thousands of families, and officials should not make any statements suggesting that the business will be shut down or that this industry will be made a scapegoat.”

Bawankule said, “Saoji is a unique and traditional method of making spices and food items. Today, when Saoji dishes are in high demand in many countries around the world, such a generalised and negative remark by an official on the entire industry is completely inappropriate.”

Bawankule also clarified that legal action can be taken against a food business outlet if officials find any adulteration or health hazard in the food, but, he said, “targeting the entire Saoji business is wrong.”

“This is not just a restaurant business, but a large home-industry of thousands of families…Therefore, officials should avoid statements that would harm this business or cause restaurants to shut down.”

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What Mundhe said after row: ‘Left it’

Clarifying his earlier remark on Saoji mutton, Mundhe said he was merely speaking about his inability to consume a spicy dish. Explaining the context behind his comment, the Maharashtra food safety chief recalled: “A friend brought Saoji mutton for me. I saw it and realised that I could not eat it. My friend said it looks red but is not.”

“I took one bite and left it. I found it spicy and oily,” he said.

Alok Deshpande is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express’ Mumbai bureau, recognized for his focused and authoritative reporting on governance, politics, and the socio-economic dynamics of Maharashtra’s hinterlands. His unique academic background in Geology and early work in the water sector provides a specialized layer of Expertise to his reporting on resource and environmental issues.
Expertise

Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express, Mumbai.

Core Authority: Alok provides detailed coverage of Maharashtra politics and governance, with a particular emphasis on how policies and power struggles affect the rural and semi-urban areas (the ‘hinterlands’).

Key Coverage Areas: His reports frequently focus on high-stakes administrative and political topics, including:

State Assembly Proceedings: In-depth reporting on the Legislative Assembly, covering ministerial statements, legislative debates, and inter-party conflict within the ruling Mahayuti alliance.

Policy & Finance: Coverage of state finances, including supplementary budget demands, fiscal deficits, and major government schemes (e.g., Jal Jeevan Mission, Ladki Bahin Yojana).

Rural and Social Issues: Reports on critical health issues (e.g., child deaths in districts), human-animal conflict (leopard attacks, stray dogs), and agrarian concerns (e.g., farmer suicides).

Local and Urban Governance: Covers major announcements regarding urban development (e.g., BMC’s OC amnesty scheme, pagdi system push) and local body elections, including political defections and alliance splits.

Unique Credentials & Trustworthiness

Academic Specialization: Holds a Post-graduate degree in Geology. This background gives him a foundational understanding of natural resources, which directly informs his reporting on environment, water, and infrastructure projects.

Early Professional Experience: His shift to journalism came after working with an NGO focused on the water sector. This practical experience strengthens his Expertise in critical areas like water management and rural development, as evidenced by his reporting on the Jal Jeevan Mission.

Journalism Training: An alumnus of the prestigious Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai, confirming his formal training and commitment to rigorous journalistic standards.

Alok Deshpande’s rare combination of scientific education, non-profit sector experience, and deep political reporting makes him a highly trusted and authoritative voice on the governance and ground realities of Maharashtra.
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