Gov. Om Prakash Mathur, the newly sworn‑in governor of Kerala, directed the Lok Bhavan kitchen to prepare and serve only vegetarian dishes on Friday, his first day in office. The move was framed as a reflection of his personal dietary preference.
Opposition leaders KC Venugopal of the Congress and MV Govindan of CPI(M) condemned the order, accusing him of pushing a Sangh Parivar agenda and demanding a reversal.
Mathur’s office clarified that the restriction applies only to the meals served to him and a handful of close aides. No limits were placed on the food choices of other employees, who either bring food from home or dine elsewhere.
Earlier governors had served meat and fish at Lok Bhavan, a fact underscored by the governor’s remarks that Kerala’s diverse food culture should remain unimpeded. Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala echoed the stance that food choices are a matter of personal freedom, and the governor maintains the policy will stay unchanged for staff.