Mumbai: A naming controversy has erupted at the Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan and Zoo, popularly known as Rani Bagh, in Byculla after three penguin chicks were recently named Noddy, Tom, and Pingu.

BJP leaders in the city have taken exception to the English names, demanding that the chicks be given Marathi names instead.

The protest, led by BJP leader Nitin Bankar, was held outside the zoo on Thursday. Speaking to The Times of India, Bankar said, “When penguins were brought from abroad to the Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Botanical Udyan and Zoo, we accepted that their names would be in English. However, penguin chicks born here, on the soil of Maharashtra, should be given Marathi names.”

He added that repeated appeals to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which manages the zoo, had gone unanswered.

The BMC has continued its tradition of using English names for the Humboldt penguins, a practice that began in 2016 when the first batch of penguins arrived from South Korea.

“This is not just about naming animals,” Bankar further told TOI. “It is also about giving due recognition to Marathi as a classical language. Our identity and language must be respected, especially in public institutions.”

The demand has triggered a debate on social media, with some supporting the call for local-language naming while others argue the tradition of English names should continue.