Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha leader Derek O'Brien on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the BJP after reports on the removal of eggs from midday meals in West Bengal schools surfaced. The TMC leader claimed that the move would deprive children of basic nutrition and would amount to "imposing vegetarianism." The row began as social media platforms were flooded with posts that eggs in school meals will be replaced by paneer and soybean.
Reacting to the developments, O'Brian alleged that the guidelines would affect children's nutrition and linked it to earlier political debates over food habits in the state.
Hard-Hitting X Post
Sharing a hard-hitting post on X, the leader said, After the fish -eating tamasha during the election campaign, the Gujarat Gymkhana finally reveals itself. New BJP government 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.
The controversy stems days after the West Bengal government assigned the responsibility of preparing and serving cooked midday meals in schools under the Kolkata Municipal Corporation area to ISKCON. However, ISKCON Kolkata Vice President Radharaman Das issued a clarification, saying no menu had been approved and that reports circulating online were inaccurate.
The ISKCON VP claimed that several people are sharing the newly proposed menu for the midday meal in Kolkata schools. He clarified that no such menu has been finalised. Once the menu woukkd be finalised, we will make an official announcement. "Kindly refrain from sharing this incorrect information," Das said.
BJP MPs Ate Fish During Election Campaign
Days ago, BJP MP Anurag Thakur, along with other party leaders, was seen relishing fish and rice on the final day of campaigning for the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections, as the party attempted to rebut Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s allegation that the BJP would ban fish consumption if voted to power.
A video showing Thakur and state BJP leaders eating shorshe maach with rice highlighted how the staple Bengali dish has taken centre stage in the ongoing political contest. The BJP’s state unit has been trying to assure voters that the party does not oppose traditional food habits, particularly fish, which holds cultural significance in Bengal.
Opposition leaders, however, mocked the move. AAP MLA Sanjeev Jha criticised Thakur for eating fish while dressed in saffron attire, accusing the BJP of adopting different positions in different states for electoral advantage. In a post on X, he alleged that the same leaders who push for closure of meat and fish shops elsewhere were now showcasing fish consumption in Bengal to appeal to voters.