THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Governor Om Prakash Mathur has triggered a political controversy on his first day in office after reportedly directing the Raj Bhavan kitchen to prepare only vegetarian food and refrain from cooking non-vegetarian dishes.
The directive has drawn sharp criticism from the ruling Congress-led alliance and the opposition CPI(M), with leaders accusing the governor of imposing his personal dietary preferences on an institution in a state known for its diverse food culture.
The development came within hours of Mathur being sworn in as Kerala’s 29th governor by Kerala High Court Chief Justice Soumen Sen. He succeeds Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, who has been transferred to Tamil Nadu.
Congress leaders criticise the move
AICC general secretary and Alappuzha MP K.C. Venugopal strongly criticised the reported directive, arguing that Kerala’s rich fish resources and diverse culinary traditions reflect the freedom people enjoy in choosing their food.
He alleged that imposing an individual’s dietary preferences on an official establishment was inappropriate for someone holding a constitutional position. Venugopal also accused the Sangh Parivar of attempting to advance its saffron agenda in Kerala and demanded that the directive be withdrawn. State Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala also defended individual freedom of choice.
“What one wears, which language one speaks and what one eats are matters of personal choice. We have the freedom to eat what we want, and nobody can take that freedom away,” he said.
CPI(M) alleges communal polarisation
CPI(M) state secretary M.V. Govindan also criticised the move, alleging that attempts were being made to restrict dietary choices in a democracy.
He claimed that food was increasingly being used as an instrument of communal politics to polarise people.
Raj Bhavan clarifies position
Amid the growing controversy, sources at the governor’s office clarified that Mathur is a strict vegetarian and that the instruction was intended only for the kitchen preparing food for him.
They said no restrictions had been imposed on the dietary choices of Raj Bhavan employees. The main kitchen prepares meals for the governor and his close staff, while other employees remain free to bring food from home or order it from outside.
The controversy has drawn attention to the balance between a constitutional office-holder’s personal preferences and Kerala’s longstanding culinary traditions, where fish and meat dishes form an important part of the local food culture.
