Advertisements in Gujarat by the government's Gauseva and Gauchar Vikas Board has asked people to show respect to cows and avoid eating its meat, citing the Quran. "Show respect to cows, as it is the leader of all bovines, Its milk, ghee and butter have therapeutic properties, but its meat is the cause of several diseases," the advertisements said.

The ads which had which come up in Ahmedabad locality also had pictures of Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel and the Islamic symbol of the crescent moon and star.

Muslims leaders and scholars have denied that there is any such verse in the Quran.

Mufti Ahmed Devlavi, from the All India Muslim Personal Law Board said there is no such quote in the scripture.“I have never come across such a verse in the Holy Quran. It is possible that it may be an Arabic statement, wrongly attributed to the Holy Quran. It appears to have been used to mislead Muslims,’’ Devlavi said to The Indian Express. Ghulam Mohammed Koya, a religious leader too has said that such verse does not exist in Quran.

The board's Chairman and Former Union minister Dr Vallabhbhai Kathiria said that he found the verse and its translation from a 20-page booklet in Hindi and Gujarati. He also said that he could not remember the name of the author or the book, the IE reports says.

As per the board's website, it was “established for preservation, development and welfare of the cow and its progeny”. It comes under the state government's Agriculture and Cooperation Department.