Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's outrage over video footage of RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav enjoying fish, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday offered to cook for the BJP leader.
At an election rally in Kolkata, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo said she was ready to "cook something for him (Modi)" if he wanted, but added that she was not sure whether he would consume the meal prepared by her.
Mamata Banerjee was targeting the rival BJP for allegedly interfering with food choices of people following the furore over the video of Tejashwi Yadav posted during Navrati.
Read: ‘Only guarantee is Narendra Modi not returning to power’, says Mamata Banerjee
Last month, Prime Minister Modi accused opposition leaders of demonstrating a 'Mughal mindset' and "teasing" the people of the country by consuming non-vegetarian food in the holy month of Sawan and posting a video of it online. Modi said eating non-vegetarian food during Navratri and Sawan hurt the feelings of people.
Seizing upon Modi's remarks, the TMC, the ruling party in West Bengal where consumption of non-vegetarian food during festivals is prevalent in Hindu households, has been alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has no knowledge about the culture and eating habits of the people of the country.
{{/usCountry}}Seizing upon Modi's remarks, the TMC, the ruling party in West Bengal where consumption of non-vegetarian food during festivals is prevalent in Hindu households, has been alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has no knowledge about the culture and eating habits of the people of the country.
{{/usCountry}}Read: ‘Don't return without voting’: Mamata Banerjee's 'citizenship' warning migrants in Bengal for Eid
Following this line of attack, Mamata Banerjee said, “I have been cooking since my childhood days. People have praised my cooking. But will Modi ji accept my food? Will he trust me? I will cook whatever he loves.”
The TMC supremo added, “I love both vegetarian foods like Dhokla and non-veg foods like macher jhol (fish curry). Different communities, and different sects among Hindus have their own unique rituals and eating habits. Who is BJP to impose a diktat on an individual's dietary habits? It shows the BJP leadership has little idea and concern about the diversity and inclusivity of India and its people.”
The BJP, however, claimed that Mamata Banerjee deliberately made the offer knowing well that the prime minister is a strict vegetarian.
“This is nothing but her ploy to trap the PM. She knows on the one hand the PM will never eat fish or any non-veg item. If she believes everyone should be allowed to eat what he/she loves to eat, then why is she twisting Modiji's comments about one's dietary habits? She is insulting devout Sanatani Hindus,” BJP leader Sankudeb Panda said.
Former BJP state president and ex-Tripura Governor Tathagata Roy posted on X, “Mamata Banerjee wants to feed Modi ji with fish and rice cooked by her. Good proposal. But before that, why doesn't she first offer pork chop to her lieutenant Firhad Hakim? It will serve three purposes, secularism will be asserted, it will show charity begins at home and the fritters will also be praised.”
CPI(M) leader Bikash Bhattacharya suggested it could be an attempt to appease Modi amid their public political sparring.
"Being Dada-Bon (brother and sister), Mamata didi can certainly offer to cook meals for the prime minister, do not know if it is to placate him."
Bhattacharya was referring to the jibe - "Didibhai-Modibhai" that the Left and the Bengal Congress unit use to refer to the alleged tacit understanding between the BJP and the TMC.