Archive · 13 Sep 2026
BRICS Vegetarian Gala Menu Sparks Congress-BJP Food Row
World leaders and delegates at the BRICS summit were served a completely vegetarian dinner.
The meal included paneer, mushrooms, millet, vegetables, breads and Indian desserts.
Congress leaders said the dinner did not show all the different foods eaten in India.
Rahul Gandhi said that 80% of Indians are non-vegetarian.
Pawan Khera accused the BJP government of imposing its food preferences on foreign guests.
Another Congress leader suggested dishes such as biryani, tandoori chicken and fish curry could have been served.
The BJP said Congress was talking about the menu instead of the summit’s important discussions.
This created a political argument about food, culture and India’s diversity.
The BRICS summit gala dinner in New Delhi featured an exclusively vegetarian menu.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said 80% of Indians are non-vegetarian.
Pawan Khera accused the BJP government of imposing dietary preferences on international dignitaries.
Congress leaders argued that non-vegetarian dishes should have represented India’s culinary diversity.
The BJP accused Congress of trivializing the diplomatic event by focusing on food instead of summit outcomes.
- Who
- BRICS leaders and delegates, along with Congress and BJP leaders commenting on the dinner.
- What
- An all-vegetarian BRICS gala dinner menu prompted criticism from Congress and a response from the BJP.
- When
- The dinner was held on Saturday evening, with Congress criticism reported on Sunday.
- Where
- Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, India.
- Why
- Congress said the menu failed to represent India’s dietary and culinary diversity, while the BJP said the opposition was distracting from the summit’s policy discussions and outcomes.
Congress criticism
BJP response
Representation of Indian cuisine
Congress criticism
Congress leaders said an entirely vegetarian menu failed to reflect India’s diverse culinary traditions and excluded widely eaten foods such as mutton, chicken and fish.
BJP response
The BJP did not accept the menu controversy as a meaningful criticism of the summit and said Congress was seeking an issue to attack the government.
Dietary preferences
Congress criticism
Pawan Khera said the BJP’s alleged imposition of dietary preferences on Indians had been extended to international dignitaries.
BJP response
The BJP defended the government’s handling of the diplomatic event by emphasizing its policy discussions and outcomes rather than the dinner’s composition.
Focus of the summit debate
Congress criticism
Congress focused on whether the dinner presented the full range of India’s food culture, including non-vegetarian dishes.
BJP response
The BJP accused Congress of trivializing a major diplomatic event by failing to raise questions about summit resolutions, global challenges and India’s role among BRICS members.
- Dinner format
- The BRICS gala dinner featured an exclusively vegetarian menu.
- Starters
- Khandvi mille and Khumb Galouti, described as pan-grilled mushroom kebabs with mint pearls, were served as starters.
- Main course
- The menu included Paneer Lababdar, Gucchi Marmik, Carrot Bean Poriyal, millet pulao, beetroot raita and assorted Indian breads.
- Desserts
- Desserts included Old Delhi fruit cream with jalebi and Shahtoot Phirni.
- Congress criticism
- Rahul Gandhi cited a figure of 80% of Indians being non-vegetarian, while Pawan Khera said the menu imposed the BJP’s dietary preferences on dignitaries.
- Suggested alternatives
- Waris Pathan said dishes such as mutton masala fry, Hyderabadi biryani, tandoori chicken, butter chicken and Goan fish curry could have showcased India’s food culture.
- BJP response
- The BJP said Congress should have focused on summit resolutions, global challenges and India’s role in securing consensus among BRICS members.
- Related context
- The dispute occurred amid controversy in Bengal over non-vegetarian food during Durga Puja.
