Headlines
PM has lunch in parliament canteen
New Delhi, March 2
In a rare move, Prime
Minister Narendra Modi Monday had lunch at the parliament canteen,
surprising the staff and many people present there. Modi had some fruit
salad and a vegetarian thali at a total cost of Rs.29.
The prime
minister went to the canteen at room no.70 of Parliament House around 1
p.m. when the canteen was bustling with activity.
The canteen
managers as well as MPs were surprised when the prime minister came and
sat at a table occupied by some other parliamentarians, a canteen
official told IANS.
Union minister Piyush Goyal joined him later.
The prime minister first asked for a glass of water.
Canteen in-charge B.L. Purohit rushed forward and asked the prime minister what he would like to eat.
"The
prime minister said 'jo hai wahi khilaiye... kuchh bhi. Alag se intezam
karne ki zaroorat nahi hai' (give me what has been cooked, no need to
do anything special)," a canteen official said.
The prime
minister, a vegetarian, then had some fruit salad, followed by a
vegetarian thali (platter) consisting of sarson ka saag, aloo subji,
rajma, rice, roti and curd.
The bill was of Rs.29. Modi gave a Rs.100 note and was returned Rs.71, according to canteen officials.
Modi later wrote in Hindi in the visitor's book: "Annadata sukhi bhava." (May the Giver of food be happy).
"We
were all surprised. I have never seen any prime minister come for lunch
here," said a canteen staff member who said he was working there for
the last 13 years.
The parliament canteen run by Indian Railways
is the most subsidised canteen in the country. It serves
parliamentarians, parliament staff and journalists in different sitting
areas.