Hospitals should be secular and scientific spaces which are not driven by ideology and corporate interests.
Published Sep 10, 2025 | 9:00 AM ⚊ Updated Sep 10, 2025 | 9:00 AM
Vegetarian food. (iStock)
Synopsis: The Karnataka government’s decision to hand over food supply in three government hospitals in Bengaluru to Akshaya Patra Foundation is designed to fail. The foundation, an initiative of ISKCON, serves food devoid of onion, garlic, eggs, and meat, fish and poultry. Such unscientific ideas about food reinforce deeply held casteist prejudices and criminalise communities that consume these nutrient-dense foods.
The September 2025 decision of the Karnataka government to hand over food supply for inpatients in three government general hospitals in Bengaluru to Akshaya Patra Foundation is yet another ‘project’ of the ruling party, which is designed to fail. Why is this government so keen on imposing unpalatable, unhealthy and unscientific food?
When asked about his food consumption, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had sharp responses — stating in no uncertain terms that what people eat is their personal choice and it is no one else’s business to criticise it.
What happens to this Constitutional mandate when it comes to the government’s provision of food for people? Eggs, meat, fish and poultry are part of the diverse and traditional diet of the majority in the state and, therefore, culturally acceptable. Patients recovering from illness, pregnant and breastfeeding women need good-quality animal-source foods that are nutrient-dense, with adequate proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, etc.
There is no lack of awareness in government or communities that the Akshaya Patra Foundation (APF), an initiative of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), is driven by brahminical ideology. Their stated position on food has been unambiguous: Only food devoid of onion, garlic, eggs, and meat, fish and poultry is sattvik, while all animal source foods other than dairy are tamassik/rajassik.
They are of the view that people who consume the latter develop undesirable traits, making them lesser humans.
Such unscientific ideas about food reinforce deeply held casteist prejudices and criminalise communities that consume these nutrient-dense foods. It is no surprise that this organisation has doggedly refused to serve eggs, which are recommended for growing children, pregnant women, and those who are convalescing.
So why has the organisation been repeatedly given contracts to provide mid-day meals in schools and, now, in government hospitals? Onion and garlic, which are documented to improve the bioavailability of iron and zinc (both of which are deficient in children and adolescents in Karnataka), are not used in APF cooking despite government guidelines.
Keeping these foods away amounts to negligence and denial of care.
Currently, soya is being promoted as an alternative, but it has been documented to be allergenic and goitrogenic. Phytates in soya further reduce the absorption of these nutrients, including iron and zinc.
Concerns have also been raised about genetically modified soya and its side effects. Denying eggs and promoting soya caters to the ideological stand of APF and other commercial interests more than any benefit to in-patients.
There have been several complaints, including from the Food Commission, school children and their parents, that the food provided by APF is unpalatable, cold, bland, stale and of poor quality in general.
The government cannot feign ignorance since several petitions, open letters and memoranda have been submitted by organisations such as Ahara namma hakku, demanding that contracts with APF be terminated and school-based kitchens supported in keeping with the MDM guidelines.
Even the board of directors of APF have resigned under a cloud of serious corruption charges.
There have been widespread protests demanding eggs in the mid-day meals. And when the government gave in to these demands and introduced eggs, there was an immediate improvement in attendance of children, thus demonstrating how palatable, nutritious meals have a dual benefit on growing children.
This government has also witnessed spectacular failures of its various PPP misadventures, as a result of which well-functioning public health facilities have broken down. Currently, several general hospitals in Bengaluru have arrangements in place for providing food to inpatients, and the feedback has been generally positive.
This system can definitely be improved by modernising the kitchen and installing state-of-the-art machines used for hygienic cooking of large quantities of food. There is also no rational explanation why this government does not choose a self-supporting system over outsourcing it.
General hospitals are accessed by diverse patients, with most of them belonging to minority and marginalised communities. Normalising this caste based vegetarian sattvik diet as “healthy” and clean will soon put attenders and visitors under pressure not to bring nutritious animal foods into the premises.
The state government cannot pretend to be unaware of the politics of this. Hospitals should be secular and scientific spaces which are not driven by ideology and corporate interests.
And finally, one request to the chief minister and the health minister of the state: Please replace all your meals with sattvik APF meals served in schools and public hospitals. Nudidante nadeyiri! Let us know how it feels. Maybe that will help change your minds?
Ahara namma hakku in Karnataka has been at the forefront of challenging food imposition in the state. Further, Karnataka Janaarogya Chaluvalihas issued a statement condemning the food supply contract of APF in general hospitals.
(Views are personal. Dr Sylvia Karpagam is a public health doctor and researcher. Dr Akhila Vasan is a public health researcher affiliated with Karnataka Janaarogya Chaluvali. Edited by Muhammed Fazil with inputs from Jerald D’souza.)
