TMC Slams Centre Over Vegetarian-Only Menu on Vande Bharat Sleeper Train
The Trinamool Congress has launched a sharp criticism against the BJP-led central government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the introduction of an exclusively vegetarian food menu on the newly launched Vande Bharat Sleeper train. The political party, which governs West Bengal, has characterized this decision as an assault on the cultural identity of Bengal and Assam, regions where non-vegetarian cuisine is widely consumed and cherished.
Commercial Operations Begin Amid Controversy
The Howrah-Kamakhya Vande Bharat Sleeper train, which was officially flagged off on January 17, commenced its commercial operations from Kamakhya on January 22, 2026. This significant development in India's railway infrastructure has been overshadowed by the ongoing controversy surrounding the food options available to passengers.
According to the official menu released by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), travelers on this route will find only vegetarian dishes available. Notably absent from the menu are popular non-vegetarian options including fish and meat, which form an integral part of the culinary traditions in both Bengal and Assam.
TMC's Strong Reaction on Social Media
The ruling party in West Bengal expressed its discontent through a detailed post on X (formerly Twitter), highlighting what it perceives as a deliberate attempt to impose dietary restrictions that contradict regional food habits. The party's statement emphasized that this move represents a natural extension of a particular mindset that seeks to homogenize diverse cultural practices across India.
"First they policed our votes. Now they're policing our plates," the TMC declared in its social media post, drawing a direct connection between political control and cultural imposition. The party further elaborated that this represents a "Banchte Chai, BJP Tai" model, where Bengalis are being pressured into submission by forces opposed to Bengal's interests.
Cultural Identity and Political Implications
The Trinamool Congress has framed this issue as part of a broader pattern of cultural imposition, suggesting that dietary restrictions could potentially extend to other aspects of personal and community life. "Today it's what we eat. Tomorrow it's what we wear. Who we love. How we live," the party warned in its statement, portraying the vegetarian-only menu as the beginning of a larger cultural standardization effort.
The party specifically referenced previous comments by Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding fish-eating Bengalis, suggesting a pattern of cultural insensitivity. According to the TMC, this latest development reflects an attempt by Bangla-birodhi "zamindars" (those opposed to Bengal) to impose monolithic identities on the region's pluralistic cultural ethos.
Election Year Context
This controversy emerges at a politically sensitive time, with assembly elections in West Bengal scheduled to take place later this year. Both the Trinamool Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party are engaged in a fierce electoral contest for control of the crucial eastern state, making cultural identity and regional autonomy key battleground issues.
The TMC has made it clear that Bengal will not accept lessons on identity from those who, in their view, neither understand nor respect the region's cultural traditions. This strong stance positions the party as a defender of Bengal's distinct cultural heritage against what it perceives as homogenizing forces from the central government.
As the Vande Bharat Sleeper train begins its regular operations between Howrah and Kamakhya, the debate over its vegetarian-only menu continues to highlight deeper tensions between regional cultural practices and national standardization efforts in India's diverse culinary landscape.
