Nagpur: State FDA Chief Tukaram Mundhe’s remarks on Saoji cuisine have sparked a sharp backlash, with the statehood outfit Vidarbha Rajya Andolan Samiti (VRAS) accusing him of insulting a culinary tradition deeply intertwined with the region’s cultural identity.VRAS youth wing state president Mukesh Masurkar on Tuesday demanded that Mundhe immediately withdraw his statement and publicly apologise to the people of Vidarbha.“Saoji mutton or Saoji cuisine is not just a cooking style. It is an integral part of the cultural tradition, culinary heritage, and identity of Nagpur and Vidarbha. Making derogatory or sweeping statements about such a tradition is extremely unfortunate,” Masurkar said in a statement.Addressing students at an event in Amravati last week, Mundhe spoke about the high quantity of oil used in local food preparations leading to long term cardiac problems. Referring to Nagpur’s Saoji cuisine, he remarked that if someone like him were to eat it, he would probably end up spending at least a month in hospital.Taking exception to what he described as the generalisation of an individual experience, Masurkar said a dish not agreeing with one person could not become the basis for casting aspersions on an entire cuisine. “People in Kolhapur also consume extremely spicy food, often considered spicier than Saoji cuisine. It is inappropriate to impose one’s personal experience upon an entire culinary culture,” he said.Masurkar added that people were free to have different food preferences and express opinions, but public figures carried a greater responsibility while commenting on traditions linked to a region’s identity and sentiments. “If a particular dish does not suit an individual, that remains their personal experience. It is not right to use it to pass judgment on the entire culinary culture of Vidarbha,” he said.The organisation warned that statements hurting Vidarbha’s cultural identity would not be accepted and reiterated its demand for an apology from Mundhe. TOI’s attempts to contact the FDA chief for his response were unsuccessful as he remained unavailable until the time of going to press.
