Newtown, Sep 16 (IANS) West Bengal Minister Dilip Ghosh on Wednesday hit back at Congress over its criticism of the vegetarian menu served at the BRICS Summit dinner, saying that those who actually attended the dinner had no complaints and praised the Indian cuisine.
The menu served at the high-profile dinner at the BRICS Summit drew criticism from Congress leaders, who accused the BJP-led government of attempting to promote vegetarianism.
The dinner featured more than 10 dishes, including starters such as Khumb Galauti, while the dessert section included Shahdoot Firni and fruit cream with jalebi. The main course comprised entirely vegetarian dishes, including paneer, mushrooms, millet pulao and beetroot raita, prepared with contemporary variations.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, in a post on social media platform X, said, “For the record: 80 per cent of Indians are non-vegetarian. Indian non-vegetarian food is delicious. As are my sister’s chole bhature.”
Reacting to the criticism, Ghosh said Congress leaders should focus on issues concerning the people rather than questioning the food served to foreign delegates.
“Congress has given nothing to the people; it has only looted them. If the public feels it is too much, they will protest. They jump into everything, even expressing concern over what foreign guests will be served at BRICS, asking why beef or chicken wasn’t served. Everyone from Rahul Gandhi to Chidambaram had an issue with it. But those who actually ate had no problem; they went home praising the Indian food. So, their mindset needs a change,” Ghosh told reporters.
Ghosh also commented on the proposed 0.4 per cent charge on certain UPI merchant transactions exceeding Rs 2,000, saying that a nominal fee could help maintain the digital payments system and generate revenue.
“Any company providing services charges a fee. The government’s UPI service has provided great convenience, so a minimal fee should be charged to maintain system discipline and generate revenue,” he said.
According to the new UPI Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) framework, a 0.4 per cent charge will apply to eligible merchant transactions above Rs 2,000, while person-to-person transactions will remain outside the charge.
The new framework is scheduled to come into effect from October 15. The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has outlined the provisions in its updated rules for Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
The charge has been capped at Rs 300 per transaction. The Finance Ministry has also advised banks to ensure that merchants do not pass the additional cost on to consumers.
Ghosh further claimed that efforts to curb the illegal exploitation of natural resources in West Bengal had contributed to higher state revenue.
“Natural resources like coal, sand, and timber in Bengal were being looted for years without yielding revenue for the state. Curbing this theft has led to a 33 per cent increase in government revenue, and this positive trend will continue,” he said.
–IANS
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