New Delhi, Sept 15:
Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on the vegetarian menu served at the BRICS Summit dinner have triggered a political controversy, with BJP leaders accusing him of ignoring India’s diplomatic achievements.
After the dinner hosted for BRICS leaders and delegates featured an all-vegetarian menu, Gandhi posted on social media highlighting India’s dietary diversity and stating that a large majority of Indians eat non-vegetarian food.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis criticised Gandhi, saying the Congress leader appeared unable to appreciate the country’s diplomatic achievements during the summit. He pointed to the unanimous adoption of the Delhi Declaration by BRICS members, including China and Russia.
The BJP also attacked Gandhi over the post, saying that Congress leaders had focused on the dinner menu instead of the substantive outcomes of the summit. The party described the remarks as an indication of the Opposition’s inability to comment on what it called India’s diplomatic achievements.
The Samajwadi Party, meanwhile, stressed the importance of respecting India’s diverse food traditions, adding another dimension to the political debate over the BRICS dinner menu.