Only vegetarian food allowed at Lok Bhavan; Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala responds

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala criticised new Governor Om Prakash Mathur’s directive to serve only vegetarian food at Lok Bhavan. The home minister said that food is an individual’s personal choice and cannot be enforced.

AICC General Secretary K.C. Venugopal also criticised the Governor’s directive, calling it an executive overreach.

Mathur has directed that no meat or fish be cooked in the Lok Bhavan kitchen. There are no restrictions on staff bringing food from home or going out to eat whatever they prefer. Meals from Lok Bhavan are provided to the Governor, his personal staff, and a few officials. Guests will also now be served vegetarian food. Mathur has brought along specialised cooks from Rajasthan to the Lok Bhavan. Mathur assumed office as the Governor of Kerala after completing a tenure of two years and two and a half months in Sikkim.

During the tenure of former Governor Rajendra Arlekar, there was no ban on non-vegetarian food. Under Arlekar, who hails from Goa, dishes including fish were served. He had no objection to guests and staff consuming non-vegetarian food.