Why do some people call non-veg Maharashtra's culture instead of just a common food habit?

I've noticed that whenever people from different states talk about Maharashtra, someone says that non-veg is Maharashtra's culture.Yes eating non-veg is common here. But many Maharashtrians are vegetarian too, and food habits change from region to region and community to community.

I don't understand why some people make one food habit the identity of the whole state. Maharashtra's culture is much bigger than just what people eat.

Food can be a part of culture, but calling non-veg the culture of Maharashtra feels like an oversimplification. It also creates unnecessary stereotypes and gives people from other states another reason to judge or criticize Maharashtrians.

Why not just say that non-veg is common in Maharashtra instead of saying it's our culture?

I'm just curious to know what others think.