Lucknow: King George’s Medical University (KGMU)’s decision to prohibit the cooking and serving of non-vegetarian food in hostel messes and canteens has triggered a political row in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh, with Opposition Samajwadi Party asking BJP leaders could eat fish in West Bengal, why students here can’t eat non-vegetarian food.
The university administration issued the order on Tuesday enforcing the ban, a decision that came after Uttar Pradesh Governor and Chancellor of the University Anandiben Patel expressed concerns over the preparation of non-vegetarian food on hostel premises. She aired her concerns during a visit on Monday.
The KGMU order has sparked a political controversy, with opposition leaders and religious figures questioning the intention behind the restriction.
Uttar Pradesh Congress General Secretary Mukesh Chauhan opposed the decision, saying food preferences are personal choices and should not be influenced by political persons.
“Eating choices are personal choices. There should be no interference by any political person in them. But one ideology (the BJP) has a habit of interfering. We do not support any such ban,” Chauhan told ThePrint Wednesday.
Samajwadi Party spokesperson Fakhrul Hasan Chand said Governor Patel should also look at the practices of leaders “belonging to her own political ideology”. “BJP leaders eat fish when they visit West Bengal, but students in UP are being stopped from consuming non-vegetarian food. What problem should the Governor have with someone’s food choices? It is a personal matter, and personal choice” he said.
Islamic scholar Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahali also strongly opposed the decision and demanded that it be withdrawn. In a video statement, he said more than 61 percent of Indians consume non-vegetarian food.
“Non-vegetarian food is good for health and helps boost immunity. If such decisions are taken in a prestigious medical institution like KGMU, it will send the wrong message. Ask any doctor whether non-vegetarian food is beneficial or not, and most will acknowledge its nutritional value. Such a decision in a medical college raises several questions and should be reconsidered,” he said.
Responding to the opposition attack, Uttar Pradesh minister Om Prakash Rajbhar said every individual is free to make personal choices, but certain institutions and places may have their own rules.
“Everyone is independent, but just as one cannot expect certain facilities in a temple, similar restrictions may apply in particular places. Such arrangements should not exist at locations associated with religious or cultural sensitivities…. nothing wrong in it,” Rajbhar said.
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Governor’s remarks
Governor Anandiben Patel attended KGMU’s convocation ceremony on Monday. During her address, she said she had received information that non-vegetarian food was being cooked in three hostels on the campus and that there were complaints about poor hygiene.
Highlighting concerns about food quality, Patel said inspections of hostels, accommodating more than 500 students, had found expired spices being used in cooking food.
KGMU spokesperson Prof. K.K. Singh said in a statement that following the governor’s remarks, the Dean of Students’ Welfare contacted the chief proctor, and verbally instructed that non-vegetarian food would no longer be cooked or served in hostel messes.
Subsequently, Chief Provost Prof. K.K. Sawalani issued an order stating that non-vegetarian food will neither be cooked nor served in any hostel mess or canteen on the university campus. It also directs authorities to ensure adequate protein intake for students through vegetarian sources. He said the decision had been taken following verbal directions from the vice-chancellor.
The circular, issued to all hostel provosts on 14 July, said the order would take effect immediately.
A senior KGMU functionary told ThePrint the governor had raised concerns about hygiene in places where non-vegetarian food was being prepared. He clarified that none of the university’s 22 official messes had ever cooked non-vegetarian food.
However, some students operated cooperative messes independently and arranged for food preparation from outside vendors, including non-vegetarian meals.
“Those students have now been informed that no non-vegetarian food will be allowed on the college campus,” he said.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)