The first commercial run of the Vande Bharat sleeper train begins from Kamakhya towards its destination of Howrah, in Guwahati on January 22, 2026.
| Photo Credit: ANI
Amidst demand by a section of passengers, and persuasion from some Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders from West Bengal, the Indian Railways has decided to serve non-vegetarian food on the newly inaugurated Howrah-Guwahati (Kamakhya) Vande Bharat Sleeper Express.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on January 17 inaugurated the first sleeper service in the Vande Bharat express trains, connecting the two poll-bound States of West Bengal and Assam. However, soon after the commencement of the long-distance service, a section of passengers raised the issue that non-vegetarian food was not available on the train’s food menu.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) leadership picked up the issue, and the party said that the BJP was against the dietary habits of the people of West Bengal. BJP leaders had ridiculed the people of West Bengal for eating fish in the past, TMC spokesperson Arup Bhattacharya said.
Both West Bengal and Assam have strong culinary traditions in non-vegetarian food. With elections due in the next few months, the issue had the potential to snowball into a major controversy, putting BJP in a spot, where the party could find itself opposed to the food habits of the electorate. The BJP leadership in West Bengal seemed to agree with the demand of the section of passengers demanding non-vegetarian dishes on the sleeper train’s menu.
Union Minister of State and Balurghat BJP MP Sukanta Majumdar on Monday (January 26, 2026) said that he had spoken to Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Sunday (January 25, 2026), and requested him to introduce non-vegetarian food choices on the Vande Bharat Sleeper Express. “He assured me that non-vegetarian food will also be made available for passengers soon. He said the notification will be issued within two or three days,” the BJP leader said.
On Tuesday (January 27, 2026), officials of the Eastern Railway confirmed that non-vegetarian food choices would be available on the train’s menu in the next few days.
In December 2025, a controversy had erupted when BJP supporters assaulted a vendor sending chicken patties to a Gita chanting event in Kolkata. BJP MP Abhijit Gangopadhyay had spoken against the assault on the poor vendor.
Published – January 27, 2026 11:00 pm IST
