Gujarat restaurants plan to name dishes after UPA scams

VADODARA: Get ready to bite into a piping hot "2G ka samosa" or a toasted "Coalgate sandwich" because restaurants in Gujarat may soon serve your favourite dishes with a dash of politics.

Members of the Gujarat Rajya Hotel Federation (GRHF) have decided to stand up for Mumbai eatery Aditi Restaurant that was forced to shut down by Congress workers on Monday for criticizing the UPA government in its bills. (The eatery had re-opened on Tuesday.) Members of the federation are planning to name some of their dishes after the scams that have surfaced during the UPA regime.

Hotelier and GRHF member Ashwin Gandhi has discussed the proposal with other federation members. "Naming food and drinks after scams is an apt reply," Gandhi told TOI. "Every citizen has the right to express his views." The GRHF has over 6,000 members across the state.

The controversy in Mumbai had been sparked after Aditi Restaurant started issuing bills which had a message at the bottom of the printed receipt that read, "As per UPA govt eating money (2G, coal, CWG scam) is a necessity and eating food in AC restaurants is a luxury."

Southern Gujarat Hotel Association vice-president Sanat Relia expressed his support for the GRHF proposal. "Bofors, 2G and other scams would appear on our menu once the proposal is approved," he said from Surat. "We made several efforts to convince the Centre to remove the new service tax, but to no avail. Such a protest may help."