As the West Bengal government’s decision to drop eggs from mid-day meals in schools sparked a political debate, senior dietician and nutritionist Dr Suneet Khanna said the discussion should centre on children’s nutrition rather than political narratives.
The BJP-led Bengal government is engaging ISKCON to provide cooked mid-day meals under a pilot project in schools falling under the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC). Since ISKCON has a vegetarian-only policy, eggs will not be part of the menu anymore, and will reportedly be replaced by protein-rich vegetarian options, including paneer, rajma, soya products, pulses and milk-based food.
Reacting to the move, Khanna said, “The decision to replace eggs with soybean and paneer in schools were ISKCON provides mid-day meals has sparked debate. It is important to remember that organisations like ISKCON and the Jain community follow a life-long commitment to vegetarianism rooted in their faith and the principle of non-violence”.
The nutritionist, however, also highlighted the nutritional benefits of eggs as one of the “finest foods”.
“They provide complete highly digestible protein along with Vitamin B12, Choline, Vitamin D and Iron nutrients – essential for growing a child,” he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
He also discussed vegetarian alternatives to eggs but ultimately concluded that nutritional choices should not be made on the basis of ideology.
“Among vegetarian alternatives soya and tofu is the closest substitute because it is also a complete protein. Paneer is another excellent source of protein and calcium while vegetables are invaluable source for vitamin, minerals, fibre and anti-oxidents but they cannot replace eggs or soya as major protein sources. Ultimately, the decision or discussion should not be about the ideology but the health of our children…”
Why is the nutritionist reacting?
The comments come after the BJP government decided to engage ISKCON to provide cooked mid-day meals under a pilot project in schools falling under the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) area, according to news agency PTI.
Presenting the state’s first Budget after the BJP’s victory in the Assembly polls, Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta announced that the material cost for primary school mid-day meals would be increased from ₹6.78 to ₹10 per student.
He also said ISKCON would be entrusted with supplying cooked meals under the pilot project in the KMC area.
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From eggs to paneer and soya
While the increased allocation was welcomed across the political spectrum, attention soon shifted to the menu. Since ISKCON serves only vegetarian food, eggs, which are currently served once a week under the programme, will be replaced in schools covered under the pilot project.
Instead, students will be served protein-rich vegetarian alternatives such as paneer, rajma, soya products, pulses and milk-based items.
The decision has reignited a wider political debate over food habits in West Bengal, where dietary preferences have frequently intersected with electoral politics.
During the Assembly election campaign, the Trinamool Congress accused the BJP of attempting to impose a vegetarian cultural template on Bengal and projected fish consumption as an integral part of Bengali identity.
BJP leaders rejected the charge, publicly eating fish to counter the allegation that they intended to alter the state’s food culture.
Leader of the Opposition and rebel TMC leader Ritabrata Banerjee criticised the decision, alleging that it sought to alter Bengal’s long-established dietary practices.
He argued that generations of Bengali children have grown up consuming animal protein and said nutrition schemes should reflect local food habits rather than move away from them.
TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien accused the BJP government of using the welfare programme to advance a broader ideological agenda by imposing vegetarianism.
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