Doctor says paneer and milk are 'same like chicken and beef', triggers online war

A debate has erupted on social media after an Indian doctor claimed that milk and paneer are not vegetarian foods. Dr Sylvia Karpagam, working editor of the Indian Journal of Medical Ethics, stirred the pot by saying that since milk and paneer come from animals, they should be considered non-vegetarian, just like chicken or beef.

It all started when another doctor, Sunita Sayammagaru, shared a photo of a vegetarian thali on X (formerly Twitter). The meal included paneer, moong dal, a salad with carrots, cucumbers, and onions, raw coconut, walnuts, and a bowl of kheer. She captioned it, “Dinner plate of husband vegetarian meal. Has protein, good fats and fibre.”

Dr Karpagam responded to the post, stating, “Also paneer and milk are not 'veg'. They are animal source foods.....same like chicken, fish, beef and all.” Her comment quickly sparked a heated debate, with many people disagreeing with her statement.



Many users argued that paneer and milk are vegetarian because no animals are killed to obtain them. One person wrote, “No one is killed … to eat paneer or milk.” Another added, “Milk products are the animal products that no animal has to be killed and hence it is indeed vegetarian & not vegan. Any killing or harm of animal is on the milking set up, veg means vegetarian.”

Dr Karpagam countered this logic by questioning why eggs are considered non-vegetarian if no hens are killed. This only intensified the debate, with some accusing her of spreading misinformation, while others felt she was simply trying to provoke people for more engagement.

The controversy highlights the differences in how vegetarianism is understood in India versus other parts of the world. In India, vegetarians typically follow lacto-vegetarianism, meaning they consume dairy products like milk, paneer, ghee, and curd but avoid eggs and meat. However, in Western countries, the term ‘vegetarian’ often includes people who eat both dairy and eggs (ovo-lacto vegetarians). Some places even classify pescatarians (who eat fish but not meat) as vegetarians.

The answer depends on cultural and personal beliefs. In India, milk and paneer have always been considered vegetarian, especially for religious and dietary reasons. However, from a scientific standpoint, they are animal-based products.