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BRICS Summit Vegetarian Menu Sparks Congress-BJP Food Row
World leaders attending the BRICS summit were served only vegetarian food at a formal dinner.
The meal included dishes made with paneer, mushrooms, millet, vegetables and lentils.
It also had desserts such as fruit cream with jalebi and mulberry phirni.
Congress leaders said the menu did not show all of India’s food traditions.
They pointed out that many Indians eat meat, fish and chicken.
They suggested that famous non-vegetarian dishes could also have been served.
The BJP said Congress was focusing on dinner instead of the summit’s important discussions.
The disagreement became a political argument about food, culture and India’s diversity.
World leaders at the BRICS summit were served an elaborate all-vegetarian dinner.
The menu included paneer, mushrooms, millet dishes, Indian breads and regional desserts.
Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders criticized the menu as limiting India’s dietary diversity.
Congress leaders said non-vegetarian Indian dishes should also have represented the country’s cuisine.
The BJP accused Congress of trivializing a diplomatic event instead of discussing summit outcomes.
- Who
- World leaders attending the BRICS summit, along with Congress and BJP leaders commenting on the dinner menu.
- What
- An all-vegetarian BRICS summit dinner prompted criticism from Congress and a response from the BJP.
- Where
- At the BRICS summit in India.
- When
- The gala dinner was held on Saturday evening; the controversy was reported after the dinner.
- Why
- Congress said the menu failed to represent India’s diverse food culture, while the BJP said Congress was trivializing a major diplomatic event.
Congress criticism
BJP response
Representation of Indian food
Congress criticism
Congress leaders said an all-vegetarian menu did not reflect India’s culinary and dietary diversity, and that dishes such as mutton, chicken and fish should also have been considered.
BJP response
The BJP did not focus on the menu’s composition; it argued that Congress was using the dinner to attack the government instead of addressing the summit’s substantive achievements.
Dietary preferences
Congress criticism
Congress leaders accused the BJP of imposing its dietary preferences on Indians and, through the summit menu, on visiting dignitaries.
BJP response
The BJP characterized Congress’s criticism as an effort to trivialize a major diplomatic event and said the opposition was looking for issues to criticize.
Focus of the summit debate
Congress criticism
Congress focused on whether the dinner presented the full range of India’s food culture.
BJP response
The BJP said Congress should have raised questions about the summit’s resolutions, global challenges and India’s role in securing consensus among BRICS members.
Key facts
- Dinner format
- The gala dinner featured an entirely vegetarian menu.
- Starters
- The menu included Khandvi mille and Khumb Galouti mushroom kebabs.
- Main dishes
- Offerings included Paneer Lababdar, Gucchi Marmik, Carrot Bean Poriyal and millet pulao.
- Desserts
- Desserts included Old Delhi Fruit Cream with Jalebi and Shahtoot Phirni.
- Congress criticism
- Congress leaders said the menu limited India’s culinary diversity and dietary choices.
- BJP response
- The BJP said Congress was focusing on food instead of summit resolutions, global challenges and diplomatic outcomes.
- Related controversy
- The dispute occurred amid an uproar in Bengal over non-vegetarian food during Durga Puja.
Quotes
Rahul Gandhi
Congress leader and Member of Parliament
“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”
NDTV
“For the record: 80% of Indians are non-vegetarian. Indian non-vegetarian food is delicious. As are my sister's chole bhature”
NDTV
Sources
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