Modi, Kharge share millet lunch after Cong chief's 'dog' remark

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday enjoyed a millet lunch at Parliament along with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and other MPs.

The lunch was hosted by agriculture minister Narendra Tomar to mark Millet Year 2023. The PM was present at the event for nearly 40 minutes.

"As we prepare to mark 2023 as the International Year of Millets, attended a sumptuous lunch in Parliament where millet dishes were served. Good to see participation from across party lines," Modi tweeted along with some pictures of the lunch.

Interestingly, the lunch was hosted conducted after the Parliament was disrupted as the Bharatiya Janata Party demanded an apology from the Congress over Kahrge's controversial comments Monday while hitting out at the BJP for mocking Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra as "Bharat todo (Divide India)".

At a rally in Rajasthan on Monday, Kharge claimed that while the Congress stood for the country and helped attain Independence after its leaders gave supreme sacrifices, 'not even a dog of the BJP was lost' for the country.

He had also alleged that the BJP government 'talks like a lion but acts like a mouse' as it is not taking on China for indulging in incursions along the border and is running away from a debate on the issue in Parliament.

WATCH: PM Narendra Modi, MPS enjoy millet lunch at the Parliament

The BJP on Tuesday demanded an apology as soon as the session began.

"We condemn Mallikarjun Kharge's comments, the way he used offensive language and tried to spread a lie. He should apologise..," said Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal in Rajya Sabha.

The delicacies that were prepared on Tuesday included Khichdi made out of millet, Ragi Dosa, Ragi Roti, Jowar roti, Haldi sabji, bajra, Churma. The sweet delicacies included bajra Kheer bajra cake amongst others.

Earlier, during the BJP Parliamentary Party meeting Modi laid emphasis on the celebration of International Millet Year 2023 and suggested ways to promote an ongoing nutrition campaign through millet.

The United Nations has declared the year 2023 as the International Year of Millets on the initiative of Prime Minister Modi, Tomar had said last month.

Millet khichdi, ragi dosa, jowar roti, bajra churma, and bajra cake were among the delicacies enjoyed by the parliamentarians.

The Centre notified millet as a nutritious cereal in April, 2018, and millet has also been included in the Poshan Mission campaign.