Eggs Out, Rajma In: Why Bengal's Mid-Day Meal Row Is Exploding

TMC MP Mahua Moitra accused the BJP-led West Bengal government of trying to impose a vegetarian food culture after it decided to replace eggs with vegetarian protein options in school mid-day meals under a pilot project run by ISKCON.

Questioning the move, Moitra said eggs are a Class A protein and argued that alternatives such as rajma are not commonly consumed in Bengal. "Do Bengalis know what rajma is?" she asked, alleging that the decision was driven by ideology rather than nutrition.

BJP Introduces Vegetarian Mid-Day Meal Pilot

The controversy began after Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta, while presenting the state's first BJP budget, announced that ISKCON would prepare cooked meals in selected schools under the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) as part of a pilot project.

Since ISKCON serves only vegetarian food, eggs will not be included in meals provided under the scheme. Instead, students will receive protein-rich vegetarian alternatives such as paneer, rajma, soya products, pulses and milk-based food.

Moitra Questions Nutritional And Cultural Shift

Moitra claimed that children in Bengal do not prefer soya and questioned why eggs were being replaced if the objective was purely nutritional.

"Our children don't like soya. When we feed it in schools, they don't like soya. So here you are, substituting egg. If the reason is not cultural and the reason is not to promote vegetarianism, give me one good reason," she told reporters.

She also suggested that legislators should "eat rajma chawal" in the Assembly canteen if they believed the menu was appropriate, adding that rajma is not a staple food in Bengal.

Leader of the Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee also criticised the decision, alleging that the government was attempting to alter Bengal's long-standing food habits.

"For generations, Bengali children have grown up consuming animal protein as part of their regular diet. Nutrition schemes should reflect local food culture and not move away from it," he said.

BJP, ISKCON Defend The Decision

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari rejected the criticism, saying the initiative was intended to provide students with hygienic and nutritious food.

"Nobody is imposing anyone's religious beliefs on anyone else. The focus is on providing good food to students," he said in the Assembly.

School Education Minister Dipak Burman said nutrition should be assessed scientifically rather than by whether meals include eggs.

ISKCON Vice President Radharamn Das also dismissed the criticism, saying the organisation already serves meals to nearly 12 lakh students across several states and follows nutrition standards prescribed by state governments.

He said children can receive adequate protein through pulses, soya products, dairy items and vegetables, and argued that vegetarian food is not alien to Bengali culture.

Teachers Says High Attendance on ‘Egg Day’

Teachers, however, expressed concerns that removing eggs could affect student participation in the mid-day meal programme.

A headmaster in Kolkata told PTI that attendance typically increases on days when eggs are served, as students eagerly look forward to the meal.

Another teacher said it remains uncertain whether children accustomed to eating eggs would readily accept alternatives such as rajma and soya chunks, warning that if students do not enjoy the food, the objective of the programme could be affected.