Madhya Pradesh Women and Child Welfare Minister Imarti Devi's idea to include eggs in diet of children at anganwadis has drawn ire of the opposition BJP which has threatened to oppose the move.
BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya on Wednesday suggested that the move was akin to "interfering with the faith and religious beliefs of the people."
Devi had said the idea to include eggs in the anganwadi menu was under consideration of the Congress-led government considering the high nutritional value of eggs.
When contacted, Women and Child Development department Principal Secretary Anupam Rajan told PTI on Wednesday that no final decision has been taken yet on the issue.
"The idea is still under consideration. Eggs are served to children in anganwadis in several states," Rajan said.
The BJP has vowed to oppose the move. "We will oppose any such proposal. I think this is an attempt to interfere with the religious belief and faith of the people," Vijayvargiya told reporters.
BJP MLA and state vice president Rameshwar Sharma said the egg suggestion was against the public sentiments. "Several children and their mothers don't even touch eggs. The Congress government should not force vegetarians to become non-vegetarians," Sharma said, adding that nutritional vegetarian food can be served to children in anganwadis.
Devi could not be contacted for reaction despite repeated attempts. This is not the first time that the proposal to serve eggs at anganwadis is being considered at the state government level. In 2015, then chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had rejected a similar suggestion.
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