Biryani blunder: Lord Ram’s image on plates sparks outrage in Delhi (Lead)

A biryani vendor in northwest Delhi was found serving his dish on disposable plates with images of Lord Ram printed over it.

Police said that they recovered plates with Lord Ram’s image on it from the vendor’s shop.

The incident surfaced on Saturday afternoon when local Hindu groups noticed the plates featuring the revered deity’s likeness at the biryani shop.

Protests also erupted, however, police reached the spot and controlled the situation after assuring thorough probe into the matter.

A senior police official said that the shopkeeper was detained soon after they received information. “He was booked under section of 107/151 (preventive detention) CrPC and later allowed to go,” said the official.

A video showing Lord Ram’s images on the disposable plates went viral on social media and a crowd gathered near the shop on Saturday. The locals confronted the vendor, observing people being served biryani on these plates, only to see them discarded later.

“Two plates with Lord Ram’s photo printed on it were found at a biryani shop. During the probe, it was revealed that the shopkeeper had bought 1,000 disposable plates from a factory and only four of them had Lord Ram picture on it. This was also verified with the factory owner” said the police official.

Meanwhile, people took X and shared the images of plates with Lord Ram’s pictures on it used by the vendor.

“He is doing this intentionally … He also knows this is wrong, but continually serving biryani in Lord Ram Images plates,” wrote an X user, Sandeep.

“Biryani served on plates with Lord Ram’s photo in Delhi’s Jahangirpuri. Hindu organisations noticed this and called the police. They saw the plates being served with Biryani and discarded in the trash after use. Please don’t ask the name of the shop owner,” said another X user, Shilpa.