Mumbai, Sep 17: Shiv Sena (UBT) on Thursday criticised the Centre over the all-vegetarian menu served to foreign delegates at the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, alleging that it amounted to imposing dietary preferences on international guests.

In an editorial published in its mouthpiece, Saamana, the party said food choices are a matter of personal freedom and should not be dictated by governments or political organisations. The editorial took exception to the gala dinner hosted at Bharat Mandapam on September 12, where leaders of the expanded 11-member BRICS grouping were served an exclusively vegetarian menu.

Calling the move an imposition of dietary preferences on world leaders, the Thackeray camp in the party mouthpiece Saamana editorial argued that dietary choices—whether vegetarian or non-vegetarian—are a matter of personal freedom and that neither the government nor political parties should dictate them. The menu featured items such as Khandvi, Mushroom Kebabs, Paneer Lababdar, Millet Pulao, Gujarati-style Dhokli Bele Saru (tomato-dal curry), Jalebi, and Phirni.

The editorial labelled the spread as forcing guests to consume grass and wild greens. “Eighty per cent of the world’s population, including most of the visiting delegates, eats non-vegetarian food. What did the Modi government achieve by imposing vegetarianism on them? It made India a laughing stock on the global stage,” remarked the editorial.

The editorial contrasted the BRICS gala dinner with lavish Indian weddings, citing the recent wedding of Supriya Sule’s daughter Revati and high-profile industrialist weddings as having superior and more appetising cuisine.

It added that iconic Delhi culinary staples like Karim’s non-vegetarian dishes, Tandoori Chicken, Biryani, Butter Chicken, Goan Fish Curry, Kolhapuri Pandhra-Tambda Rassa, and Malvani Fish would have left international guests truly satisfied.

Rejecting claims that the menu reflected the spirit of Mahatma Gandhi’s birthplace, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena pointed out that Gandhi never imposed his personal vegetarian choices on others.

The editorial cited historical examples to support its stance. “When Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan and his family visited Sevagram Ashram in Wardha, a separate kitchen outside the main premises was set up specifically to prepare non-vegetarian meals for them. During a state visit to Russia, former PM Morarji Desai — a strict teetotaler — respected local diplomatic traditions by allowing vodka to be poured into his glass for toasts, raising it without drinking,” it said.

The editorial further noted that during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Mahabalipuram, the menu included an array of non-vegetarian delicacies, with specialized chefs brought in from across the country.

The editorial alleged a broader campaign by the ruling government and its aligned organisations to alter India’s diverse food culture. It referenced the handover of mid-day meal contracts in schools to organisations like ISKCON, claiming that eggs have been removed from children’s diets.

It also touched upon domestic issues in cities like Mumbai, where non-vegetarians face discrimination in housing, terming such practices a crime.

Concluding with a sharp political jab, the editorial stated, “Individual dietary preference is a personal choice. While the government indulges in the ‘non-vegetarianism of corruption,’ it denies people their fish and chicken. PM Modi and his followers may prefer Khichdi, while others prefer Biryani. No party or sect has the right to destroy our rich food culture.”

New Delhi, Sep 16: Delhi Police on Wednesday have claimed to have solved a murder case within 16 hours with the arrest of a 24-year-old man for allegedly killing his wife following an altercation arising out of strained marital relations and frequent quarrels.

According to police, the case was registered at Anand Parbat police station under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

On September 14, police received information regarding a suspected murder at Punjabi Basti in Baljeet Nagar, Anand Parbat. The police reached the spot, where a 32-year-old woman was found dead inside a room.

During the preliminary inquiry, police learned that the deceased was living in the room with her husband, two minor daughters and her mother.

The deceased’s elder daughter, aged around 10, told police that she woke up at around 3:45-4 a.m. and saw her father near her mother, checking her breathing. She said her father then left the house. After some time, she noticed that her mother was not responding.

On examining the body, police found no apparent external injuries, except nail-like marks on the left side of the neck. The Crime Team and Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team inspected the crime scene and documented it through photographs.

The woman was shifted to Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC) Hospital, where she was declared brought dead. Her body was preserved for postmortem examination.

Police said the circumstances of the incident and the statement of the minor daughter raised suspicion about the involvement of the deceased’s husband. Accordingly, FIR No. 517/2026 was registered on September 15 and an investigation was launched.

The postmortem examination was conducted at the LHMC mortuary, following which the body was handed over to the family members.

Considering the gravity of the offence and the possibility of the accused escaping, the police team launched a search operation.

Through technical investigation, corroboration of available information and local intelligence, the team traced and apprehended the accused, identified as Chandrapal Bhati, a resident of Wair in Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh, within 16 hours of the incident.

During interrogation, the accused allegedly disclosed his involvement in the crime. Police said he stated that he and his wife frequently quarrelled and that their marital relationship had remained strained.

The accused allegedly further disclosed that he strangled his wife to death following an altercation arising from their strained marital relations and frequent quarrels.

Police said no previous involvement of the accused has come to notice so far.

New Delhi, Sep 16: The eighth Central Pay Commission is set to begin a three-day visit to Chandigarh on Wednesday, as part of its consultations on pay and pension-related matters.

The commission will hold meetings with civil service unions, pensioner groups and representatives of the regional administration till Friday.

The discussions are expected to focus on pay conditions and submissions from public sector stakeholders in northern India.

The eighth Central Pay Commission is led by former Supreme Court Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai while its members include Pankaj Jain, a former IAS officer serving as Member-Secretary, and Pulak Ghosh, a tenured Professor of Finance and a member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister.

Representatives from Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh are expected to submit their views on the pay and pension revision during the commission’s meetings.

Employee associations, pensioner groups and other stakeholder bodies, including those representing railway and defence personnel, will put forward their views before the panel.

The feedback gathered during these consultations will form part of the inputs considered while framing its recommendations.

The commission’s work could have a bearing on the financial interests of more than one crore employees and pensioners.

The affected population includes around 50 lakh Central government employees and about 65 lakh pensioners, covering defence and railway personnel as well as retirees.

Employee representatives are seeking a higher fitment factor, which would raise the base used to calculate salaries under the next pay revision.

Unions are also calling for changes to the Dearness Allowance (DA) framework, including more frequent revisions and a possible merger with basic pay after a specified threshold is reached.

Several submissions seek a review of house rent allowance (HRA), transport allowances and hardship-related payments, with demands for higher rates that take account rising costs in cities and difficult postings.

Pensioner organisations are seeking stronger safeguards for retirement income, enhanced family pension provisions and better healthcare support after retirement.

Employee bodies are also raising concerns over promotion structures, service conditions and the competitiveness of government compensation as part of efforts to sustain workforce morale and recruitment.

Under the timeline set out in its Terms of Reference, the commission has 18 months from its constitution on November 3, 2025, to submit its recommendations.