India school meals get eggs back after backlash

India's West Bengal state will bring eggs back to free school meals from August after criticism of a decision to replace them with vegetarian alternatives, officials said.

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said on Wednesday that boiled eggs would be supplied separately to schoolchildren through women's self-help groups from August 1. A Hindu religious charity will continue to provide “pure” vegetarian meals.

The issue began last month after the Bharatiya Janata Party government, elected for the first time in the state in May, removed eggs from meals in some state-run schools and arranged for the charity to provide vegetarian food instead.

Teachers, nutritionists and parents criticised the move, saying eggs were an important source of protein for children from poor families. Some critics accused the government of trying to turn schoolchildren vegetarian.

“The state government will supply boiled eggs separately to these schools by engaging self-help groups from August 1,” Adhikari told reporters. He said some guardians had asked the government to ensure eggs were included in the meals.

The dispute revived a wider debate over food and religion in India. The BJP often promotes vegetarianism as part of its broader nationalist agenda, although most Hindus eat meat and fish. Eggs, which Hindus consider non-vegetarian, are also widely consumed.

India's free school lunch programme is the largest of its kind in the world and is widely credited with improving enrolment rates and helping reduce malnourishment and stunting among children.