Kolkata, June 24: A significant controversy has erupted in Kolkata regarding the mid-day meal program in government schools. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) has firmly stated that the menu circulating on social media is entirely fake and misleading.
Recently, the West Bengal government decided to assign ISKCON the responsibility of providing cooked mid-day meals in state-run and state-aided schools within the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) area. Following this announcement, a daily menu chart began to circulate rapidly online, detailing the food items.
Radha Raman Das, the vice president and spokesperson of ISKCON, responded strongly to the viral post. He issued a warning on social media, urging people not to be misled by such posts. He also shared screenshots of the misleading posts to clarify that the information is completely incorrect.
Radha Raman Das emphasized that the mid-day meal menu being shown on social media has not been issued or finalized by ISKCON. He stated, “I have come to know that some individuals are sharing a proposed menu for Kolkata’s mid-day meal. However, I want to clarify that no such menu has been finalized, and this list has not been released by us.”
He assured that once the menu is finalized, ISKCON will make an official announcement. He also appealed to the public to refrain from spreading false and unverified information.
On June 22, the state’s Finance Minister, Swapan Dasgupta, announced in the West Bengal Assembly that ISKCON would be entrusted with the task of providing cooked mid-day meals in KMC area schools for the fiscal year 2026-27.
The government stated that this initiative aims to ensure that children receive nutritious and quality meals. According to the agreement, the state government will provide ISKCON with a nominal amount, while the organization will bear the remaining costs.
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