MP and animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi advised Jains to protest promotion of egg as wholesome diet in government schemes for child nutrition.
Responding to a query from the audience about promotion of egg at a meeting organised by the Sri Jain Seva Sangh here on Wednesday, Ms. Gandhi claimed that egg is made of menstrual blood of chicken, and hence, not fit for consumption especially by children.
“There is more protein in two spoons of dal than in one egg. Besides, eggs increase cholesterol in the body and cause pollution,” she said, while advocating that government programmes promoting eggs should be stopped.
“Start by saying that your children will not eat eggs. Eventually, it will catch up,” she said.
Responding to another query about sale of fish in the open, she said that several illegal acts were being allowed in connivance with municipal officials, which can be stopped only by questioning.
She cited display of meat, sale of meat in outlets without air conditioning and glass partition, animal slaughter in the open, and chickens kept in cages as illegal acts often perpetrated with impunity.
As the Founder-Chairperson of People For Animals (PFA), she listed the achievements of the institution for the last 25 years, and urged the Jain community to fund her initiatives, which include construction of animal shelters at various locations and expansion of the Sanjay Gandhi Animal Care Centre in Delhi.
