A vegetarian dinner menu served to heads of state and distinguished guests at the BRICS summit has sparked fresh controversy in Indian politics.
Amid this debate, a social media post from Congress leader and leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has triggered fresh discussion.
Rahul claimed that around 80 percent of Indians eat non-vegetarian food. On Sunday, he posted a picture on social media of chole bhature, a popular North Indian dish.
Alongside the picture, he wrote that it is worth noting that 80 percent of Indians are non-vegetarian, and that India’s non-vegetarian food is delicious — like his sister’s chole bhature. Rahul’s post did not directly mention the BRICS summit dinner. But since it surfaced amid the controversy over the absence of any non-vegetarian dish at the dinner hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Bharat Mandapam in the capital, New Delhi, his remarks have triggered intense discussion in political circles.
The BRICS summit dinner menu featured Indian dishes such as paneer, various millet-based items and jalebi. However, no fish, meat or other non-vegetarian dish was included. Congress has already criticised the central government over the matter.
Congress leader Pawan Khera directly accused the BJP government, saying the BJP has a habit of imposing its own food choices on Indians, and alleged that this time, that preference was being imposed on distinguished guests arriving from various countries around the world too.
Union parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju, however, dismissed Congress’s allegations. He claimed Congress was politicising even the food menu. He said the heads of state visiting India ate vegetarian food, and that the menu showcased the diversity of food culture across India’s different regions, while the dishes were also excellent in taste and nutrition.
Questions have been raised, however, over Rahul’s claim that 80 percent of Indians eat non-vegetarian food. India’s most recent National Family Health Survey did not provide a specific figure for the overall ratio of non-vegetarians to vegetarians in the country. An earlier survey found that between 2019 and 2021, 83.4 percent of men and 70.6 percent of women aged 15 to 49 had eaten fish or meat at some point. As a result, Rahul’s post is not being viewed merely as a comment on food preference.
Fresh debate has emerged over India’s food habits, personal choice, and the political use of food. The dinner menu at an international summit like BRICS has now become part of that very political controversy.