Highlight
- Siddaramaiah clarified that he had not eaten non-vegetarian food before entering a temple in Kodagu.
- Earlier on August 18, Siddaramaiah had entered the Basaveshwara temple in Kodalipet.
- Siddaramaiah questioned what the Lord said and what not before going to the temple.
Siddaramaiah News: Former Karnataka Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah on Tuesday clarified that he did not eat non-vegetarian food before entering a temple in Karnataka’s Kodagu district on August 18. Addressing media persons in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said, “Is eating meat an issue. ? It is an individual food habit. I eat both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food. It’s their eating habit.” Emphasizing on the right to choose food, the former CM termed it a “non-issue”, and said he did not hurt any religious sentiments.
The BJP had alleged that earlier on August 18, Siddaramaiah had entered the Basaveshwara temple in Kodalipet after allegedly consuming non-vegetarian food when he had visited Kodagu recently, triggering a controversy.
Targeting the BJP, he said that the party has no other work and is trying to create controversy to divert the attention of the public from the major issues going on in the country. “It doesn’t matter in my opinion. Many people go without eating meat and many leave after eating. In many places meat is offered to gods. To be honest, I didn’t eat meat that day. That’s what I said. Which I did. Later, just for the sake of argument. Although there was chicken curry, I only did bamboo shoots and ate ‘akki roti’.”
Earlier, a senior MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal had challenged Siddaramaiah and said, “If you- Siddaramaiah- have guts, eat pork and go to the mosque.” Responding to this challenge and attacks, Siddaramaiah said: “I eat only chicken and mutton, no other meat (pork or beef). But I do not oppose those who eat it, as it is their eating habit. Is.”
Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Siddaramaiah on Sunday defended himself, saying he is non-vegetarian and it is his eating habit, and questioned whether God had said what should and should not be eaten before going to the temple.