Shatrughan ‘Shotgun’ Sinha misfires with support for ‘non-veg ban across country’

While Sinha stressed that this was his personal opinion, the backlash was swift, with the TMC too distancing itself from Sinha’s remarks given their import in West Bengal, a state that prides itself on its non-vegetarian cuisine.

Plus, the TMC has built its politics as a contrast to the BJP, with its top leaders Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee criticising the BJP in the past for “trying to dictate food habits”.

Asked about Sinha’s remarks, TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh said, “Our leader Mamata Banerjee always says everybody should have freedom regarding their food habits, religion and dress. Why should we enter into that? It can’t be dictated and it can’t be ruled upon. If anyone has said something, it is their personal opinion. We can’t comment on that.”

Kolkata Deputy Mayor and TMC leader Atin Ghosh said, “I love vegetarian food but I prefer non-veg dishes. I have freedom to eat what I want. Nobody can dictate it.”

Former TMC MP Jawhar Sircar said, “What Sinha eats is up to him. There is no decision to ban non-veg food at all levels. Even if a handful of people want it, it is impossible because a large majority of people in the country eat non-veg food… It would be against the Constitution.”

Trying to put the TMC in a spot, BJP leader and state general secretary Jagannath Chattopadhyay said: “I welcome what Shatrughan Sinha said, but whether Mamata Banerjee welcomes it or not, let Mamata Banerjee make it clear.”

CPI(M) Central Committee leader Sujan Chakraborty said Sinha’s remarks were another proof of the “understanding” between the TMC and BJP. “Shatrughan Sinha said exactly what the RSS wanted to hear. The TMC basically wants to make the RSS happy.”

Chakraborty also pointed to the visit to the Kumbh Mela by TMC MP Rachana Banerjee, and her praise for the Yogi Adityanath administration after taking a dip, ignoring the deaths there in a stampede. “The TMC is saying what the RSS wants to say,” he said.

In April last year, addressing a rally for the Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had slammed Opposition leaders for eating non-vegetarian during the “holy” month of Sawan – a remark ostensibly aimed at the RJD’s Lalu Prasad and his son Tejashwi, and the Congress’s Rahul Gandhi, for videos in which they were seen enjoying mutton. This had hurt people’s sentiments, Modi said.

The TMC’s top leadership, including Mamata and Abhishek Banerjee, had criticised Modi’s remarks then, saying: “Nobody can dictate what I eat. This is the BJP’s culture.”

Sinha, who joined the Congress in 2019 after years spent in the BJP, switched to the TMC in 2022. Soon after, the TMC had given him a ticket for the bypoll for the Asansol Lok Sabha seat, which has a large population of Biharis. Sinha was re-elected from there in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

There was some resentment in the TMC over the party choosing three “non-Bengalis” for Lok Sabha polls, including Sinha, another former BJP leader Kirti Azad and ex-cricketer Yusuf Pathan. However, there was no open expression of opposition.