Nutritionist reacts to eggs being replaced by paneer, rajma, soya in Bengal mid-day meals
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. Members of the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) Seva Dal hold eggs during a protest over their various demands at the Kolkata Municipal Corporation Head office, in Kolkata on Thursday. (Aloke Dey) 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 …
