"8 crore vegetarians worldwide through ISKCON, they are very happy and healthy": ISKCON VP Radharaman Das on WB mid-day meal row
Kolkata, June 27
ISKCON Vice President Radharaman Das on Saturday responded to the ongoing row over the West Bengal mid-day meal scheme amid reports that eggs may be removed from the menu if ISKCON is assigned the responsibility of preparing meals in schools.
Radharaman Das highlighted ISKCON's global outreach and vegetarian movement while speaking on the issue.
"The founder of ISKCON, Acharya Prabhupada, was also a Bengali who spread the spirit of Krishna Consciousness to the whole world. Today, there are 8 crore (80 million) vegetarians worldwide through ISKCON, and they are very happy and healthy," he said.
Responding to claims and concerns over nutritional value, Radharaman Das rejected what he called misinformation and argued that vegetarian foods provide equal or higher protein content compared to eggs.
"No, this is actually a major misinformation campaign, I would say. Let me give you some facts. In 100 grams of eggs, there's about 13 grams of protein. Whereas, in 100 grams of soy chunks, there are 52 to 54 grams of protein. So it's much higher, about four times more protein in soybeans," he said.
Radharaman Das further compared protein levels in other vegetarian foods and cited examples to support the argument.
"Then, put that aside, the common dal (lentils) that vegetarians eat at home--on average, every dal has 25 grams of protein. That's also twice as much as your eggs. Then there's paneer; it also has 22 grams. So, if we talk about science, let's talk about facts," he said.
Referring to dietary patterns across states, he added that vegetarian regions show strong nutritional outcomes.
"Yesterday, I was looking at the map of India. In any state where there's a higher number of vegetarians, like Rajasthan where 61% are vegetarians, and from Madhya Pradesh to Gujarat, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh--the number of vegetarians is higher here," he said.
He further cited sportspersons and global trends to support vegetarianism.
"And that's what the facts show--13 grams in eggs, while it's more in rajma (kidney beans), soybeans, and dal. Take Virat Kohli, such a great cricketer; he and his wife are pure vegetarians. He's at the top of cricket--what more can we say?" he added.
"I could even name many gold medalists in the Olympics who are vegetarians. Now, there's a global trend of people becoming vegetarians and even vegans. So, this is based on facts and science, and that's why they are adopting a vegetarian diet," he said.
The controversy intensified after claims circulated on social media that eggs in mid-day meals could be replaced with alternatives such as paneer and soyabean.
Earlier on Wednesday, Radharaman Das dismissed the reports and clarified that no final decision had been taken regarding the menu.
"It has come to my notice that some people are sharing the following proposed menu for the midday meal in Kolkata. However, I would like to clarify that no such menu has been finalized, and this list has not been issued by us. Once the menu is finalised, we will make an official announcement. Kindly refrain from sharing this incorrect information," Das said in a post on X.
According to the Ministry of Education, the PM POSHAN (Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman) scheme provides hot cooked meals to children studying in Balvatika and Classes one to eight in government and government-aided schools. Under the scheme, states and Union Territories are encouraged to decide menus suitable to local conditions while adhering to prescribed nutritional norms.
The Centre has also issued detailed guidelines on quality, safety and hygiene, including the use of quality-certified ingredients, training of cooks, and mandatory tasting of meals by school management committee members and teachers before they are served to children. The overall responsibility for implementing the scheme and providing nutritious meals rests with the respective state governments and Union Territory administrations.
— ANI
Reader Comments
As a nutritionist based in Mumbai, I appreciate Radharaman Das citing actual data. However, we must remember that many children in rural Bengal come from families that rely on eggs as an affordable protein source. The mid-day meal program's primary goal is combating malnutrition - any menu change needs careful implementation and community buy-in.
From Rajasthan, can confirm that our vegetarian diet is perfectly fine. But the issue here isn't about vegetarianism - it's about forcing personal beliefs on school children. Why can't we have both dal and eggs available? Let children choose. The government should focus on quality and variety, not ideology.
As a Bengali who loves both fish and paneer, I think this controversy is overblown. ISKCON clarified no final decision has been made. But honestly, eggs are cheap and nutritious - why create unnecessary drama around them? Let's focus on making sure every child gets a proper meal. 😊
Interesting perspective from Radharaman Das. The global vegetarian trend is indeed growing - I've seen it in the US too. However, pushing vegetarianism through school meals might not work in a state like Bengal where fish and eggs are dietary staples. The VP's clarification about no finalized menu should calm nerves.
I agree with the science about vegetarian protein sources, but this debate misses the real point - children need balanced meals. In Tamil Nadu, our mid-day meals include eggs and it has helped reduce malnutrition significantly. Let ISKCON focus on their temples and seva, not dictate school menus across India. 🙏
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.