West Bengal government engages ISKCON for school midday meal scheme in Kolkata

The West Bengal government’s decision to engage ISKCON (the International Society for Krishna Consciousness) for providing cooked meals in schools across the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) area, has drawn fire from Opposition parties, who claim it is an attempt by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government to impose vegetarianism.

The announcement to engage ISKCON was made in the Budget presented by State Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta on January 22. Opposition parties, particularly the Trinamool Congress (TMC), said eggs would vanish from the menu with ISKCON being the supplier of midday meals in schools.

Trinamool Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’ Brien criticised the move and said it was an attempt to deprive children of nutrition by denying them eggs in the mid-day meal.

“After the fish eating tamasha during the election campaign, the Gujarat Gymkhana finally reveals itself. New BJP govt at work in Bengal. Throw eggs at rivals. But DEPRIVE CHILDREN of nutrition by taking eggs off from midday meals. Imposing vegetarianism. Bengal rejects this,” Mr. O’ Brien posted on social media.

The Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly Ritabrata Banerjee also criticised the move. Eggs have been a part of the diet of Bengalis for centuries, he said.

Eggs have always been part of the mid-day meal menu for children in the State.

The meals would not contain eggs but would instead have ingredients, including paneer (cottage cheese), rajma (kidney beans), soybeans, pulses, and other vegetarian protein sources, Radharaman Das, ISKCON spokesperson said.

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari welcomed the move to engage ISKCON. “Children will get good food in midday meal,“ he said.

“In case, anyone wants to chant Jai Shri Krishna, they are free to do so,” Mr. Adhikari said.

The West Bengal government has increased the midday meal allocation per student from ₹6.86 to ₹10, the CM said.