BJP and Congress Clash Over All-Vegetarian Menu at BRICS Summit

The Congress party and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have engaged in a political dispute after an all-vegetarian menu was served to international leaders at a BRICS Summit gala dinner at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. The dinner took place on September 12, 2026, and featured dishes such as khumb galouti and khandvi mille.

Congress leaders criticized the decision, with Pawan Khera stating that the BJP is imposing its dietary preferences on foreign dignitaries and hiding a part of India's diverse culture. Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi posted a photo of chole bhature on social media and noted that 80 percent of Indians are non-vegetarian. Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra also commented on the menu, suggesting that visiting leaders should have visited Karim's for kababs instead.

BJP officials defended the menu, with Union Minister Kiren Rijiju stating that guests enjoyed the rich flavors and nutritional variety of Indian vegetarian cuisine. BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari and MP Sambit Patra suggested that the opposition's criticism was a result of the summit's success and India's emergence as a global leader. One report noted that the government has previously served all-vegetarian spreads for heads of state, including during the G20 meeting in Delhi.

Outlets with a center-left lean framed the event as a debate over the imposition of a manufactured vegetarian orthodoxy on a diverse nation. In contrast, an outlet with a center-right lean framed the event as a political tussle where the opposition is reacting to India's surging global influence.