‘Famine diet’: President’s menu for Vietnam leader, UP food list trigger criticism, jokes online

The menu of a banquet hosted by Droupadi Murmu for Vietnamese President Tô Lâm and a district-wise culinary map of Uttar Pradesh has provided fodder for social media memes and jokes galore, with many pointing to the absence of non-vegetarian options and the inclusion of “edible oil” as a signature dish.

Among the items on the menu for the presidential banquet were stuffed broccoli – which was listed as Vilayti Gobi – as well as stir-fried carrots and peas, and bajra khichdi.

Menu of the banquet hosted by President Murmu in honour of Vietnam president To Lam pic.twitter.com/ljZmOA81A9— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) May 6, 2026

Author and columnist Rajyasree Sen described it as an “utterly unimaginative menu – the worst of Indian vegetarian food”. She added: “To serve this to the president of a country which is incapable of serving even one tasteless meal, even in the simplest home. Shame.”

What an utterly unimaginative menu - the worst of Indian vegetarian food. And to serve this to the President of a country which is incapable of serving even one tasteless meal, even in the simplest home. Shame. https://t.co/A0HJRRpJpx— Brown Sahiba (@Rajyasree) May 7, 2026

Another social media user, Vidit Bhargava, remarked that dishes such as “matar wale chawl” or rice with peas...

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