Elaborate menu at cabinet meet draws ire from Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

GUWAHATI: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed “extreme displeasure” over an elaborate menu, which included non-vegetarian dishes, served during a cabinet meeting on Thursday. Despite directives for a simple vegetarian meal, the menu included several meat and fish items, sparking criticism on social media.
In a letter to Nalbari deputy commissioner Varnali Deka issued on Friday, with a copy to Assam chief secretary Ravi Kota, Sarma emphasised the breach of his office’s directive for a simple vegetarian meal during the Nalbari cabinet meeting.Sarma said the non-adherence occurred during the cabinet meeting on Thursday and criticised the extensive array of served dishes.
“In spite of repeated instructions from this office to arrange a simple vegetarian meal during the cabinet meeting held on 27/06/24 at Nalbari, you have not followed the instructions accordingly. Rather, elaborate arrangements were made for serving the lunch with too many items,” Sarma wrote to the Nalbari deputy commissioner.
He added, “I express my extreme displeasure for such action on your part. Henceforth, such instructions should be carried out scrupulously.”
While district officials responsible for the food preparation did not provide specifics of the menu, sources said there were multiple items, although claiming that all the arrangements were not exceedingly expensive.
Fish and meat items in menu
Sources and reports indicated the menu mix included vegetarian dishes alongside various meats and fish prepared to highlight the local culinary flavors of Assam.
The menu reportedly featured mutton curry and numerous fish varieties like magur, kawoi, prawn, shol, aari, bhokuwa, and borali. It also included curd made of cow and buffalo milk, sweets, pulao, plain rice, jira rice, chicken soup, and mixed vegetables. Special herbs like curry patta and ‘bhedai lata’, noted for their medicinal properties and culinary enhancement, were also utilised in the preparations.
“All are Nalbariya (made with the local cooking style of Nalbari) and prepared with local ingredients,” revealed a kitchen supervisor involved in the event.