Food for thought: Treading the thin line of political correctness

KOCHI:   Being politically correct (or not) is a thin line that people, especially those in public realm like politicians, writers or socio-commentators, often tread on, consciously or unconsciously. What does it take to be politically correct? Or is it necessary to be politically correct always? How often does society expect you to be politically correct? Finally, on what basis does society insist that certain people toe a politically correct line in their daily lives?

A slew of widely discussed issues in recent times had political correctness, be it that of an individual or an event, taking the centre stage. Take the Tharoor row for example and look at how the Nair remark developed into a political debate. Or the acidic remarks by two senior priests of the Catholic Church - Fr Theodosius of the Latin Church and Thamarassery Bishop Remigiose Inchananiyil.  

The matter under discussion is nothing else but the Kalolsalvam culinary row, the recent controversy over whether non-vegetarian food ought to be included in the state school youth festival menu? In fact, though the controversy began with the serving of only vegetarian food at the festival,  it soon turned into an attack against one single individual, Pazhayidam Mohanan Namboothiri, who has been handling the catering at school youth festivals for nearly two decades.

Of course, the politics of food is not something alien to Keralites. It’s not the first time the state has indulged in culinary politics. It was not long back that Kerala saw beef festivals being organised by the DYFI and SFI across the state including on campuses, in protest against beef ban in some parts of the country. 

Beef has been part of Kerala’s menu for long, and Mallus have always been in the forefront of any debate involving vegetarian or non-vegetarian partisans. Having said that, even they felt this was an unwanted row over a trivial argument.

It all began with a few social media posts pondering over why the festival food menu is limited to only vegetarian cuisine. Nothing wrong with the query per se. But with a pinch of communal politics added, it soon went viral. With food politics swamping the youth festival, allegations of Brahminical dominance were aired.

In fact, it was the government’s decision to serve vegetarian food and there was no reason whatsoever to give it a communal angle. Obviously, practicality had fuelled such a decision. What ought to have been a harmless decision by those concerned to make the existing menu more apt for students, took needless communal colours, with people even dragging in caste and religion into the matter. So-called social-media critics and debaters were soon up in arms against the ‘savarna’ food being served and the parochial mindset behind such a thought.

Amid all the hullabaloo over the youth festival menu, what many fail to understand is that one need not insist on being politically correct here. Like noted author S Hareesh who drew widespread flak for his award-winning work ‘Meesha’ (Moustache) chose to put it: at times, it’s better not to worry about being politically correct always. Over-emphasis on trivia or becoming too obstinate over maintaining a so-called secular image could end up leaving us red-faced.

If there is indeed a deliberate move to keep non-vegetarian dishes out of the youth festival menu, that is definitely something we need to resist. If caste-based discrimination occurs over food, let’s raise our voices together. If students, for whom such festivals are being held, are denied nutritious food, let’s oppose it tooth and nail. But if something is being done for practical purposes and does add value to the festival, why all the hysteria?

After all, we need to be politically correct over political correctness too!

KOCHI:   Being politically correct (or not) is a thin line that people, especially those in public realm like politicians, writers or socio-commentators, often tread on, consciously or unconsciously. What does it take to be politically correct? Or is it necessary to be politically correct always? How often does society expect you to be politically correct? Finally, on what basis does society insist that certain people toe a politically correct line in their daily lives? A slew of widely discussed issues in recent times had political correctness, be it that of an individual or an event, taking the centre stage. Take the Tharoor row for example and look at how the Nair remark developed into a political debate. Or the acidic remarks by two senior priests of the Catholic Church - Fr Theodosius of the Latin Church and Thamarassery Bishop Remigiose Inchananiyil.   The matter under discussion is nothing else but the Kalolsalvam culinary row, the recent controversy over whether non-vegetarian food ought to be included in the state school youth festival menu? In fact, though the controversy began with the serving of only vegetarian food at the festival,  it soon turned into an attack against one single individual, Pazhayidam Mohanan Namboothiri, who has been handling the catering at school youth festivals for nearly two decades. Of course, the politics of food is not something alien to Keralites. It’s not the first time the state has indulged in culinary politics. It was not long back that Kerala saw beef festivals being organised by the DYFI and SFI across the state including on campuses, in protest against beef ban in some parts of the country.  Beef has been part of Kerala’s menu for long, and Mallus have always been in the forefront of any debate involving vegetarian or non-vegetarian partisans. Having said that, even they felt this was an unwanted row over a trivial argument. It all began with a few social media posts pondering over why the festival food menu is limited to only vegetarian cuisine. Nothing wrong with the query per se. But with a pinch of communal politics added, it soon went viral. With food politics swamping the youth festival, allegations of Brahminical dominance were aired. In fact, it was the government’s decision to serve vegetarian food and there was no reason whatsoever to give it a communal angle. Obviously, practicality had fuelled such a decision. What ought to have been a harmless decision by those concerned to make the existing menu more apt for students, took needless communal colours, with people even dragging in caste and religion into the matter. So-called social-media critics and debaters were soon up in arms against the ‘savarna’ food being served and the parochial mindset behind such a thought. Amid all the hullabaloo over the youth festival menu, what many fail to understand is that one need not insist on being politically correct here. Like noted author S Hareesh who drew widespread flak for his award-winning work ‘Meesha’ (Moustache) chose to put it: at times, it’s better not to worry about being politically correct always. Over-emphasis on trivia or becoming too obstinate over maintaining a so-called secular image could end up leaving us red-faced. If there is indeed a deliberate move to keep non-vegetarian dishes out of the youth festival menu, that is definitely something we need to resist. If caste-based discrimination occurs over food, let’s raise our voices together. If students, for whom such festivals are being held, are denied nutritious food, let’s oppose it tooth and nail. But if something is being done for practical purposes and does add value to the festival, why all the hysteria? After all, we need to be politically correct over political correctness too!