Keralam Governor’s veg kitchen directive on day 1 draws Congress, CPI(M) criticism

New Delhi: Keralam Governor Om Prakash Mathur faced a political row on his first day in office on Friday after reports said he had barred non-vegetarian food from the Lok Bhavan kitchen.

The ruling Congress and opposition CPI(M) criticised the reported directive. Sources in the governor’s office said Mathur followed a strict vegetarian diet and wanted the kitchen that cooked his meals to serve only vegetarian food.

Congress seeks withdrawal

AICC general secretary KC Venugopal accused Mathur of exceeding his authority and imposing personal food preferences on others. He said Keralam had a diverse food culture, with fish widely available in the coastal state. “Any attempt to restrict the food habits Keralites are accustomed to or dictate what they should eat from now on cannot be accepted,” he said.

Venugopal alleged that such restrictions violated constitutional rights and sought to undermine the state’s traditional way of life. He asked Mathur to withdraw any decision that limited food freedom.

“This is a continuation of the unconstitutional interests of the Sangh Parivar. This is the first step towards implementing the saffron agenda of the Sangh Parivar in Keralam,” the Alappuzha MP alleged.

Leaders question directive

Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said nobody should decide what others could eat. He described food, clothing and language as matters of individual freedom.

“Let us eat what we want to eat,” he said.

CPI(M) state secretary MV Govindan also accused the Sangh Parivar of using food to divide people.

“Attempts are being made to take away this right. Behind these efforts is the Sangh Parivar agenda of communal polarisation,” he alleged.

Governor’s office responds

Lok Bhavan sources said the kitchen served only the governor and a few personal staff members. Other employees brought meals from home or ate outside. They said the directive did not restrict employees’ food choices. The sources added that fish and meat had been cooked in the kitchen during some previous governors’ tenures.

Mathur takes oath

Mathur took oath as Keralam’s 29th governor at Lok Bhavan on Friday morning. Kerala High Court Chief Justice Soumen Sen administered the oath. He succeeded Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, who was appointed Governor of Tamil Nadu.