A political row has erupted between the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the absence of non-vegetarian food on India’s first Vande Bharat sleeper train, which began its
inaugural commercial run between Howrah and Kamakhya on Friday.
The controversy centres on the onboard catering menu, which does not include non-vegetarian items such as fish or meat.
TMC leaders accused the BJP of promoting vegetarianism through official policy and called the move an attack on Bengal’s cultural identity and food traditions.
TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said the decision ignored the dietary preferences of Bengali passengers.
“A Bengali thrives on fish and rice. Both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options should be available, and passengers must be free to choose,” he said, demanding that non-vegetarian items be restored to the menu.
Some passengers also complained that the “no-food” option, available on other Vande Bharat services, was not offered on the Howrah–Kamakhya route, leaving travellers with no alternative to the fixed catering arrangement.
The BJP rejected the allegations, calling them an attempt to politicise a routine railway matter.
State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya said food choices were a personal issue and not linked to the party.
“If passengers want non-vegetarian food, they should take it up with Indian Railways. How does the BJP come into this?” he asked.
The BJP also hit back at the TMC by pointing out that the West Bengal government had earlier removed non-vegetarian items from the state’s mid-day meal scheme, accusing the ruling party of double standards.
Indian Railways has not yet issued a detailed response to the criticism, even as the debate over food choices on the new Vande Bharat sleeper service continues to draw political and public attention.
