ISLAMABAD: A decision by India's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the eastern state of West Bengal to remove eggs from government school lunches has sparked political controversy, with critics accusing the party of using school meal programs to promote vegetarianism at the expense of children's nutrition, according to the BBC.
Under the new policy, eggs have been replaced with vegetarian alternatives after the state government handed responsibility for preparing school meals to the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), a Hindu religious organization that serves only vegetarian food.
The move has reignited a broader national debate over food, faith and public health. Opponents say the policy reflects the BJP's ideological preference for vegetarianism rather than nutritional considerations, despite the fact that most Indians, including many Hindus, consume meat, fish or eggs.
"The BJP government is trying to impose vegetarianism on schoolchildren," opposition leaders have argued, saying the decision runs counter to West Bengal's food culture, where eggs are a common and affordable source of protein.
Teachers have also expressed concern that removing eggs could affect school attendance. Raja Dey, a teacher in West Bengal, said students consistently attended school in greater numbers on days when eggs were served as part of the midday meal.
"The midday meal has been one of the biggest attractions in government primary schools," Dey said, adding that attendance often dropped when eggs were not on the menu.
Evidence from other parts of India supports those concerns. In the southern state of Karnataka, government data showed attendance increased significantly after eggs were expanded to the school lunch menu six days a week.
ISKCON has defended the change, saying meals containing soy products, lentils and cottage cheese can provide equal or greater nutritional value. State officials have also maintained that children can receive adequate nutrition through a well-planned vegetarian diet.
The policy has nevertheless drawn legal scrutiny. A petition challenging the decision has been filed in the state's high court, which has asked the government to explain its decision to transfer the school meal program to ISKCON. A hearing is scheduled for next month.
The dispute underscores the increasingly contentious role that food choices have come to play in India's politics, where debates over diet often intersect with questions of religion, culture and public policy, according to the BBC report.
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