Aiming at creating a new world record, BJP’s ‘Bhim Mahasangam’ saw over 3,000 kg of 'samrasta khichdi' being cooked at Delhi's Ramleela Ground on Sunday, 6 January.
The khichdi was cooked in one utensil using rice and lentils – claimed BJP SC Morcha president, Mohan Lal Gihara who organised the event.
Prior to the event, SC Morcha activists had distributed 14 lakh pamphlets during the collection of rice and lentils and apprised people about the public welfare schemes of the Modi government.
“Bhim Mahasangam programme organised to to connect with Dalits,” party leaders told PTI. However, BJP MP and Dalit leader Udit Raj was absent at the event, to which party leaders said “not too much should be read into his absence.”
‘Make Khichdi National Food of India’
In 2017, renowned chef Sanjeev Kapoor had cooked over 918 kg of khichdi creating a new world record at the time. In October 2018, Nagpur-based-chef Vishnu Manohar attempted to surpass Kapoor’s record by cooking 3,000 kg of khichdi, according to The Times of India.
Chef Vishnu Manohar was again invited to the event to attempt to break the previous record, PTI reported.
The khichdi was prepared with 400 kg rice, 100 kg lentils, 350 kg vegetables, 100 kg desi ghee, 100 litres of oil, 2,500 litres of water and 250 kg spices, one of the cooks said.
“I want khichdi to be declared the national food of India. Every country has its dish – sushi is of China, pizza of Italy, but India does not have its own dish.”Vishnu Manohar, Chef to PTI
"I have come to Delhi so that the central government here hears me out. Khichdi is something that is eaten in 80 percent of the households in the evening. The rich also eat it because they do not want to eat oily stuff while the poor also eat it," Manohar told PTI.
‘Programme Aimed at Spreading Positive Energy’
“The programme is meant for spreading positive energy”, said BJP’s Delhi Unit President Manoj Tiwari to PTI, adding that event has “rattled both Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party.”
“The dal and rice for this event has been collected from three lakh households and if they were not happy with us they would not have contributed. This khichdi has the message that Narendra Modi will again become the Prime Minister.”Manoj Tiwari, BJP Delhi unit president
Taking a dig at the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party, he said, "Arvind Kejriwal and Rahul Gandhi, are you upset about the event? We had even invited every political party to be a part of the event."
"If they were concerned about harmony, Mamata Banerjee, Kejriwal, and others would have come," he said.
Union Minister Harsh Vardhan who was also present at the programme told PTI that by collecting a handful of rice and half a handful of lentils, the Delhi BJP is sending out a strong message of 'unity in diversity.'
He said it was a befitting reply to those who divide the country on the basis of caste, region and religion.
(With inputs from PTI and The Times of India.)
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