Yogi effect: In a first, non-veg fare off plates at annual IAS event

Lucknow, Dec 15 (IANS) With monk-politician Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at the helm, non-vegetarian fare was off the plates at a lunch and dinner served on the first day of the annual IAS Week in the Uttar Pradesh capital here, an official said.

This new development, he said was "keeping in mind the likes and dislikes" of Chief Minister Adityanath, who is a vegetarian.

This is for the first time that fish, mutton, chicken are off the menu in the Indian Administrative Service week which began on Thursday.

In the dinner served at the 2016 IAS week at the Raj Bhawan hosted by Governor Ram Naik, it was a sumptuous spread of Avadh non-vegetarian cuisine. This time, however, the bureaucrats missed it, a disappointed official told IANS.

In the past, at all occasions where the head of the government or of the state was there, non-vegetarian dishes were always served.

Former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, or his predecessors, for that matter had a liking for such food.

The IAS week has been held annually barring between 2007 and 2012, when the then Chief Minister Mayawati did away with the routine events.

The week is celebrated with much fanfare every year with the UP cadre IAS officials dancing, singing, acting, playing and merry making together, along with their spouses.

Cricket matches between IAS-XI and politicians during the 'Akhilesh Raj' had made waves and were widely covered by the national media.

But the 'Yogi effect' this time round has at least ensured that in the monk-turned-politician's regime, non-vegetarian food will not be available.

So instead, what was served included Shahi Kofta, Dal Makhani, Paneer Tikka, fried rice, Handi Paneer, gulab jamun and gajar ka halwa.

Adityanath had earlier hosted a 'phalahaar' during the Navratri festival where he kept a nine-day fast and had maintained distance from the Eid celebrations, hitherto hosted by successive Chief Ministers every year.