"Imposing Vegetarianism On World": Row Over Food Served At BRICS Summit

The menu for the big dinner at BRICS meet has drawn sharp remarks from leaders of the Congress, who called it the BJP's effort to impose vegetarianism on the world. The world leaders attending the summit were offered a full vegetarian fare at yesterday's meet. LIVE Updates

While the menu had 10-plus items spanning starters like Khumb Galauti and a desserts section that had Shahdoot firni and fruit cream with jalebi, the main courses were all vegetarian -- paneer, mushrooms, millet pulao and beetroot raita, all with fresh and exotic twists.

This irked the Congress, with Rahul Gandhi, in a post on social media platform X, saying "For the record: 80% of Indians are non-vegetarian. Indian non-vegetarian food is delicious. As are my sister's chole bhature".

For the record: 80% of Indians are non-vegetarian.Indian non-vegetarian food is delicious. As are my sister's chole bhature. pic.twitter.com/8f6ziKjLan

"The BJP's habit of imposing its dietary preferences on fellow Indians is already deeply problematic. Now, they have taken it a step further by imposing their own choices on dignitaries from across the world," Congress's Pawan Khera posted on X.

"We talk a lot about India's diversity, but this menu has wiped out diversity itself!" chimed in Waris Pathan.

"You want to promote vegetarianism, go ahead - absolutely do that - but don't limit India's food culture to just a vegetarian menu. In India, crores of people eat non-veg; mutton, chicken, and fish are just as important in our culinary diversity," he added.

"The world's biggest leaders have come to India. We should have presented them with the full flavors of India - mutton masala fry, Hyderabadi biryani, tandoori chicken, butter chicken, Goan fish curry, and other such famous Indian delicacies. Tell the world that India's diversity isn't just in languages and cultures-it's in our thali too," his post read.

And that's why I said,,,, "Mutton-chicken missing... Mama-Fufa will get upset!" he added -- ending his remarks borrowing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Naraz Fufa" dig at the Opposition.

भारत की diversity की बात तो हम बहुत करते हैं, लेकिन इस menu से diversity ही गायब कर दी गई!Vegetarianism को promote करना है, जरूर करिए-लेकिन भारत की food culture को सिर्फ vegetarian menu तक सीमित मत करिए। भारत में करोड़ों लोग non-veg खाते हैं; हमारी culinary diversity में मटन,... pic.twitter.com/MpC6Uu8hDZ

The BJP has hit back, accusing the Congress of trivialising a major diplomatic event by focusing on food rather than policy outcomes. The opposition, the BJP said, failed to raise questions on the summit's resolutions, discussions on global challenges, or India's success in securing consensus among BRICS members.

The Congress, it added, was "sulking" over India's emergence as an influential voice in global affairs and in absence of any real space to criticise, was focussing on the dinner menu.

In a post on X, BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari said, "When the opposition has nothing except the food menu to criticise about the summit, it tells you how successful BRICS has been... Congress is sulking to see India emerge as a global consensus builder".

Another BJP national spokesperson, Tuhin Sinha, alleged that Gandhi's "petty and frivolous" remarks reflect his mentality as well as that of the Congress. The remarks show why the Congress is "on the margins" today and has become a "fringe group", he said.

"If there were any responsible or sensible Leader of Opposition in the country, he would have congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi and India today. What India has achieved through the New Delhi Resolution is historic. For the first time, all BRICS nations were seen standing united with one voice on all serious global issues. This had not happened before," he was quoted as saying by news agency Press Trust of India.

The controversy comes amid the huge uproar in Bengal over the consumption of non-vegetarian fare during Durga Puja, where the right wing is facing massive criticism over alleged comments by some leaders of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad.

The gala dinner on Saturday evening featured an elaborate all-vegetarian menu. The offerings included 'Khandvi mille', a feuille steamed gram-flour roll, and "Khumb Galouti", pan-grilled mushroom kebabs with mint pearls, which were served as starters. The main course offered "Paneer Lababdar", "Gucchi Marmik" -- Himalayan morel mushrooms and tender asparagus -- and "Carrot Bean Poriyal"'.

The other items on the menu included 'Thakkali Belle Saaru' -- light lentil broth, millet pulao, beetroot raita, and assorted Indian breads.