Food can be a great uniter or divider. And what happened on Desi Twitter this week – popularly being referred to as “Idligate” has given Indians some more food for thought.
The Indians are very particular about their food and they never tolerate anything against their favourite dishes. A British professor was slammed big time on the micro-blogging site Twitter after he called the south Indian food item idli one of the most boring things in the world. However, the reaction that got noticed the most was the one from the Indian politician and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor.
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It all started when the Indian food delivery portal Zomato posed a simple question on Twitter.
what’s that one dish you could never understand why people like soo much
— zomato india (@ZomatoIN) October 4, 2020
While the question was straightforward enough, one of the responses it generated led to a rather disproportionate reaction from Southern India. It so happened that Edward Anderson, a United Kingdom-based Professor of History and expert in India-Britain studies, took to Twitter to post what was later called a ‘blasphemous’ opinion.
Edward replied that he feels idli is one of the most boring things in the world.
Idli are the most boring things in the world. https://t.co/2RgHm6zpm4
— Edward Anderson (@edanderson101) October 6, 2020
The post caught the attention of several south Indians and all idli lovers on the internet even the attention of Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and his son Ishan Tharoor. Ishan referred to Anderson’s take on idli as the “most offensive take” he had ever heard on Twitter.
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I think I’ve encountered the most offensive take on Twitter. https://t.co/jRb2xI3mX1
— Ishaan Tharoor (@ishaantharoor) October 6, 2020
Twitter banter took a loquacious turn when none other than Ishan’s father and Congress’s Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor also joined in the debate and doubled down on the Desi love for Idli. Spoken like the anti-imperialist that he is, Tharoor wrote,
Yes, my son, there are some who are truly challenged in this world. Civilisation is hard to acquire: the taste & refinement to appreciate idlis, enjoy cricket, or watch ottamthullal is not given to every mortal. Take pity on this poor man, for he may never know what Life can be. https://t.co/M0rEfAU3V3
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) October 7, 2020
The outrage was enough for Anderson to take to Twitter and eke out an explanation for his dismissal of the characteristic powdered-rice cakes so dear to South Indians. Not one to seemingly bow down, Anderson wrote,
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p.s. Before the whole of south India attacks me, can I just say that I love dosa and appam and basically all south Indian food. But idli (and puttu for that matter) are insufferable.
— Edward Anderson (@edanderson101) October 6, 2020
He also informed that his in-laws were from Kerala, perhaps hoping it would help him win against the “idli-defenders”.
Wow. I now know to criticise south Indian food at my peril! The idli defenders appear to be a seriously passionate bunch. But will my in-laws in Kerala forgive me??
— Edward Anderson (@edanderson101) October 6, 2020
One problem with pissing off south Indian twitter is that they are in literally every timezone – even when India sleeps, the irate replies keep coming! 😉
— Edward Anderson (@edanderson101) October 6, 2020
Oh dear… https://t.co/9Ra7OTIy02
— Edward Anderson (@edanderson101) October 7, 2020
Edward was not in the mood to stop here as he decided to have idli in lunch after making almost the complete south India angry but he again made it clear that his views on idli would remain same even after all what happened.
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Having accidentally enraged the entirety of South India (and its omnipresent diaspora) on twitter, it was only right to order idlis for lunch. I’m very sorry to report that my unpopular – or “blasphemous”, as some have said – opinion remains unchanged. #sorrynotsorry https://t.co/qx2VRJw6EO pic.twitter.com/TmIvxNWaYx
— Edward Anderson (@edanderson101) October 7, 2020
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