Tamil Nadu Social Justice Minister Vanni Arasu has said that some students staying in government hostels have requested that beef be added to their food menu. He said the students cited the relatively high cost of mutton and said they were more familiar with beef as part of their food habits.
The minister made the remarks after inspecting the M.C. Raja Social Justice Hostel in Saidapet, Chennai. He said chicken and mutton are currently served in government hostels and that students have different views about the proposed addition of beef to the menu.
Arasu said some students from rural backgrounds told officials that they did not regularly eat mutton because of its cost and requested that beef be considered as another non-vegetarian option. He said the government would discuss the request with students and officials before taking any decision.
The minister also said hostel menus were being changed based on feedback from students. Items that were less popular, including upma and semiya kichadi, have been replaced with foods such as idli and dosa. The government is also planning to introduce chicken biryani on Mondays in Social Justice Department hostels.
According to officials quoted by The New Indian Express, chicken and mutton are already provided on a rotating basis with rice on Wednesdays. The proposed Monday biryani service is expected to cover around 1,400 Social Justice Department hostels across Tamil Nadu after the government issues the required order.
The remarks have drawn opposition from Puthiya Tamilagam founder and president K. Krishnasamy. He has demanded that Vanni Arasu withdraw his statement about considering beef in government hostel menus.
Krishnasamy argued that hostel food should take into account the different backgrounds of students and provide a balanced diet. He also said the government should focus on providing adequate nutrition, including proteins, vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients. These are Krishnasamy’s stated views on the proposal.
The issue has therefore led to a debate over how government hostel menus should be planned and how student food preferences should be considered. No final decision to add beef to the menu has been announced. The minister has said the matter will first be discussed with students and officials before any decision is taken.