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Owaisi Weighs In On BRICS Vegetarian Menu Controversy
India hosted a major BRICS meeting on September 12 and 13.
The dinner for visiting leaders had only vegetarian food.
Congress said this did not reflect the eating habits of most Indians.
Union Ministers said the menu showed India’s food traditions.
Asaduddin Owaisi said India has many different cultures, religions, languages and diets.
He noted that some minorities are vegetarian too.
Owaisi also asked what was discussed about China and new payment systems.
He said it was positive that Iran and the United Arab Emirates talked during the summit.
Asaduddin Owaisi said India’s diversity includes varied cultures, religions, languages and food habits.
He said around 20% of minorities in India are vegetarian, while Rahul Gandhi cited the figure that 80% of Indians are non-vegetarian.
Congress criticized the entirely vegetarian BRICS gala dinner, while Union Ministers defended it as a showcase of Indian cuisine.
Owaisi questioned the transparency of summit discussions involving China, digital currency and alternative payment mechanisms.
He welcomed Iran and the United Arab Emirates engaging with each other on the summit’s sidelines.
- Who
- AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Union Ministers and BRICS leaders were involved in the debate or summit.
- What
- A political dispute arose over the entirely vegetarian gala dinner at the BRICS Summit, alongside questions about the summit’s diplomatic and economic discussions.
- Where
- The gala dinner was held at Bharat Mandapam in India.
- When
- India hosted the 18th BRICS Summit on September 12-13, under its 2026 chairmanship.
- Why
- The menu prompted debate over whether it reflected India’s diverse dietary habits, while Owaisi also sought clarity about discussions on China, digital currency and alternative payment mechanisms.
Menu Critics
Menu Defenders
Dietary representation
Menu Critics
Congress argued that serving an entirely vegetarian dinner imposed dietary preferences on foreign dignitaries and did not reflect that 80% of Indians are non-vegetarian, according to Rahul Gandhi.
Menu Defenders
Union Ministers defended the menu as a showcase of India’s rich culinary traditions, while Owaisi emphasized that dietary habits differ across communities.
Summit transparency
Menu Critics
Owaisi questioned the lack of publicly known details about discussions with China, digital currency and alternative payment mechanisms.
Menu Defenders
The article reports that BRICS leaders unanimously adopted the New Delhi Declaration and that diplomatic engagements took place, including talks between Iran and the United Arab Emirates.
Key facts
- Summit
- 18th BRICS Summit
- Host country
- India
- Chairmanship
- India’s 2026 BRICS chairmanship
- Dates
- September 12-13
- Dinner menu
- Entirely vegetarian
- Minority vegetarian estimate
- Owaisi said around 20% of minorities are vegetarian
- New Delhi Declaration
- Unanimously adopted by BRICS leaders
Quotes
Asaduddin Owaisi
AIMIM chief and Hyderabad Member of Parliament
“In this country, around 20% of minorities are vegetarian... India's diversity includes different cultures, religions, languages and food habits. I do not know how many people liked it or did not like it... A diplomat would say that India's diversity is not only cultural but also religious and linguistic”
deccanchronicle.com
“There was no mention of the digital currency issue we discussed; we do not know what discussions took place with China, what will happen to the land occupied by China where we used to patrol... Iran and UAE sitting together and talking is a positive development”
deccanchronicle.com
Sources
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