Kerala governor sparks controversy with reported ban on non-vegetarian food at official residence

Kerala's new governor has found himself at the centre of a controversy from the moment he assumed office, following reports that he directed the kitchen at Lok Bhavan, the official gubernatorial residence, to stop preparing and serving non-vegetarian food.

The reported directive drew an immediate reaction, with the move being widely characterised as an imposition of personal dietary preferences on the official establishment. Critics questioned the appropriateness of such a restriction at a public institution in a state where non-vegetarian cuisine forms a central part of the cultural and culinary identity.

The row erupted on the governor's first day in his new role, casting a shadow over what would ordinarily have been a ceremonial and largely uneventful beginning. No official clarification had been issued at the time the matter came to public attention, leaving the reported ban unconfirmed by the governor's office.