Why pizza, burger when we have ragi mudde?: Venkaiah Naidu

Bengaluru: Vice President of India M Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday urged people to avoid junk food and follow traditional Indian food, for maintaining good health.

"...avoid junk foods. Eat traditional, local food. Our forefathers have suggested, practiced and promoted, and have given us such beautiful varieties of food. I'm in Karnataka, I need not explain to you how many varieties are here. Some of them have now become world famous," Naidu said. Speaking at an event here, he sought to know why we should run after junk foods like pizza and burgers when we have our own traditional food.

"They (junk food) will be suitable for conditions of certain foreign countries, but they are not suitable for Indian conditions. Unfortunately, we started aping the west and westernisation, some of our kids also developed that weakness," he said. Noting that branding and marketing by companies made these junk food popular, Naidu said, "Chicken Manchurian...when you have your own locally made biryani, why Manchurian....? "Children also- these days ask for Chicken 65, when we have in Karnataka ragi mudde (ragi balls) and naatu kodi pulusu (country chicken curry)- wonderful...enjoy it, why run after something else?" "Please follow Indian food, traditional food, organic food, for your own health. Because health is wealth...." he added. The Vice President was speaking at 'Vaccinate India Programme', an initiative of the Department of Planning, Government of Karnataka in collaboration with the Give India Foundation. Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai were among the others present at the event.

Cautioning that COVID was not yet over, Naidu said without people's cooperation, the operation of the government will not be successful. "I would only like to tell the people that this (COVID) is not yet over, don't be casual.

One has to be extra careful because there is talk of third wave. We have to be on guard, we should be following the protocol issued by the government of India and the state, also medical experts from time to time, and follow it," he said. He called on the people to perform their responsibility by getting vaccinated, maintaining a six feet distance, wearing masks, regularly washing hands, following disciplined way of life, physical fitness, and avoiding junk foods. Urging people to give up hesitancy for vaccination, the Vice President lauded Indian companies and scientists for developing vaccines against COVID, and pointed out that vaccines are now being supplied to other countries also.

"So, we have vaccines, there is no dearth of vaccines, and if there is a need, as the Chief Minister was mentioning, I have already told him that I will be talking to the Union Health Minister and get you adequate vaccines," he said. Vaccination drive against COVID must become "Janaandolan" (public movement), with active participation from everyone, he said, adding that so far 58 crore vaccine doses have been administered and 13 crore people have been fully vaccinated in the country.