Non-Veg Food To Be Served On Vande Bharat Sleeper Express To Bengal After Backlash
While the inclusion of non-vegetarian dishes has been confirmed, BJP sources said it is unclear whether fish will be served on the train. Chicken, however, is expected to be part of the menu.
The Railways have decided to introduce non-vegetarian meal options on the recently launched Howrah–Guwahati (Kamakhya) Vande Bharat Sleeper Express after intervention by BJP leaders from Bengal.
The sleeper service, flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 17, had sparked a political row ahead of the West Bengal elections. The Trinamool Congress had targeted the BJP over the decision to offer only vegetarian food on the train, calling it an affront to Bengali food preferences.
Non-Veg Food To Be Introduced Soon
Union Minister Of State Sukanta Majumdar said he took up the issue directly with Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. “I spoke to him on Sunday and requested that non-vegetarian options be included. He assured me that non-veg food will be introduced soon and that a notification will be issued within the next two or three days,” Majumdar said on Monday.
Earlier, Trinamool’s social media handles had criticised the vegetarian-only menu, portraying it as an attack on Bengal’s dietary culture.
Majumdar, the BJP MP from Balurghat, said the controversy was unnecessary. “The train was launched recently and not every service starts in full from day one. The Trinamool Congress turned it into a political issue. I urged the railway minister to ensure non-vegetarian food is provided at the earliest,” he told The Telegraph.
Sources said the initial menu was based on a broader railway policy of serving only vegetarian meals on routes linked to major religious destinations. The Vande Bharat Sleeper connects key pilgrimage centres, including the Kali temples of Kolkata, such as Kalighat and Dakshineswar, with the Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati.
Vande Bharat Sleeper Launch
During the launch, Prime Minister Modi had highlighted the train’s role in facilitating pilgrimages between Bengal and Assam. However, both states have strong non-vegetarian food traditions, and there are no religious restrictions on consuming meat or fish at Kali temples or at Kamakhya, where fish and meat are also offered as prasad.
The backlash from Trinamool caused unease within the Bengal BJP, especially in the backdrop of past criticism by some central leaders about Bengalis’ fondness for fish. On January 23, state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya publicly supported the demand for non-vegetarian food on the train.
“There is no need to oppose everything. This is a logical and justified demand. A train starting from Bengal cannot assume that Bengalis will not eat fish,” Bhattacharya said.
While the inclusion of non-vegetarian dishes has been confirmed, BJP sources said it is unclear whether fish will be served on the train. Chicken, however, is expected to be part of the menu.
Trinamool, meanwhile, downplayed the Railways’ decision, claiming it was driven by electoral considerations. Party spokesperson Arup Chakraborty said the BJP was forced to reverse its stance due to public pressure from Bengal.
“They have not forgotten how BJP leaders earlier mocked Bengalis for eating fish. This decision has been taken with elections in mind. After the polls, they will again try to target Bengali culture and food habits,” he said.
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