Whether Egg is vegetarian or non-vegetarian, the debate continues

To tackle obesity, of late, people are switching over from Non-Vegetarianism to Vegetarianism and even famous sportspersons of football and baseball etc, of even Western countries are switching over to vegetarianism, despite of the fact that vegetarian food items are low in calorie content, but we can not forget that variety and easy digestibility is the conspicuous feature of the vegetarian food items.  

Of the common food items, egg is the poor man’s food and for its rich content of proteins and other nutrients, vitamins and other essential amino acids, next to milk, it is hailed as almost the complete food. However, there prevails a mystery and a raging controversy, whether egg is vegetarian or non-vegetarian. Some people have clubbed it as vegetarian food item and some have coined it as non-vegetarian. But egg as a food item is available only in a non-vegetarian hotel.

Recently, the debate over the egg, whether it is vegetarian or non-vegetarian again came to the fore. Mr.Venkatapathy, Union Minister for law and justice, rejected the appeal made by prominent Rajasthani Jain Sadhu, Uday  Prabha Vijay requesting the Tamil Nadu Government  to stop providing three eggs a week to school children under the noon meal scheme and substitute with vegetarian food.

Speaking at the Ahimsa Day celebration on Bhagavan Mahaveer’s 2607 th Janm Kalyanak celebrations organized by Shree Jain Maha Sangh here on Friday, Sadhu Vijay wanted the state government to label egg a non-vegetarian food supplement and stop the provision of eggs to school children.

However, DMK minister argued that supplied eggs are vegetarian as they do not hatch.If the scheme is withdrawn there will be strong political and public opposition to it and also said that even plants have life, but we still take them as vegetarian food. Hence DMK government has introduced eggs in the noon meal scheme.

Tamil Nadu DGP of police Mr.K.P.Jain has said that we should only propagate vegetarianism and its goodness but not hurt the sentiments of others..It is true that vegetarianism is good, fruits and vegetables constitute the best diet.But we should not impose our thoughts on non-vegetarianism.

He also opined that it would be better to create more awareness among people on vegetarianism than holding rallies. In the name of Ahimsa , one should not hurt others.

But it is difficult to follow what Mr.K.P.Jain has said. How to create awareness over vegetarianism without launching a campaign for it and embarking upon any useful programme for it ?