‘Policing Our Plates’: TMC Slams Railways Over No Non-Veg Meals On Bengal-Assam Vande Bharat – Delhi News Daily

Last Updated:January 22, 2026, 18:47 IST

The TMC slammed the BJP-led Centre for not including non-vegetarian food on the Bengal-Assam Vande Bharat train, accusing it of “policing our plates.”

PM Modi flagged off the first Vande Bharat Sleeper Train on January 17. (PTI)

A major controversy broke out between the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the BJP-led Centre after it emerged that a new Vande Bharat sleeper train running from Bengal to Assam did not offer a non-vegetarian meal option.

Alleging that fish and meat were not included in the menu, the TMC seized on the matter and said on X, “First they policed our votes. Now they’re policing our plates.”

Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the TMC wrote, “Just days ago, @narendramodi was busy boasting about giving Bengal a new Vande Bharat sleeper train. What he didn’t mention however is that on the Vande Bharat train running from Bengal to Assam, fish and meat have been taken off the menu.”

Slamming the Centre for offering only veg options in two places that cherish non-veg food, the party claimed the PM had a mindset of deriding fish-eating Bengalis as ‘Mughals’, and diktats have been issued to ban fish in Delhi. It also highlighted that a poor street vendor was beaten up in Kolkata recently for selling chicken patties.

“Today it’s what we eat. Tomorrow it’s what we wear. Who we love. How we live. What we’re witnessing is the “Banchte Chai, BJP Tai” model, where Bengalis are pushed into submission by Bangla-Birodhi Zamindars imposing monolithic, homogenised identities on our plural ethos. Bengal will not take lessons on identity from those who neither understand nor respect it,” the Mamata Banerjee-led party said.

It also posted a cartoon of IRCTC serving only vegetarian food on trains, much to the chagrin of Bengalis. “Won’t we eat fish? Won’t we eat fish? Wake up, Bengalis,” it captioned.

What Did Railways Say?

In response to fish and meat not being served on the Vande Bharat trains, Indian Railways said, “We have decided not to include non-vegetarian items because the train connects two auspicious places – Maa Kamakhya Temple and Maa Kali Temple. The menu we have provided includes healthy, hygienic and pure vegetarian food.”

However, the worship of Goddess Kali and other Shakti Peethas, including the Maa Kamakhya Temple, has historically involved animal sacrifice – particularly goats and buffaloes – a practice that has endured for centuries and continues in some traditions even today.

The Kamakhya-Howrah Vande Bharat Sleeper Express, flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 17, officially started its commercial journey on Thursday. Designed for overnight travel, the semi-high-speed train connects Kamakhya in Assam with Howrah in West Bengal. It has 16 coaches and offers three travel classes: Third AC, Second AC and First AC. With faster travel time and modern facilities, the train aims to make long-distance journeys more comfortable.

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