'Pure-veg is a caste-marker', 'What about halal': Woman's tweet that 'pure veg' outlets are offensive triggers debate

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A Twitter user stirred a war of words on the micro-blogging platform after she tweeted that ‘pure veg’ sign boards across food outlets are “offensive and non inclusive”.


“All these "pure veg" signs across food outlets are offensive and un-inclusive. Blatantly implying that other food preferences are "impure" and legitimizing the discrimination against people with diverse preferences,” claimed the woman who goes by Twitter handle @hoopoe_is_here.

The tweet polarized the internet and sparked a debate if it was unjust to name restaurants ‘pure veg’ or if the interpretation that the woman derived from such names was too extreme.

Many claimed that the woman got the translation of ‘pure veg’ all wrong.

“Pure veg tag in a restaurant has nothing to do with discrimination. Even many non-veg eating people look to eat veggie foods on certain days of the week for religious reasons primarily. Pure veg is that extra assurance that non-veg is not cooked in that restaurant,” tweeted Saran Shanmugam.


Many others echoed the same thoughts.







“It’s a choice of food,” argued Shreya Agarwal.


Some tried to corner her over halal food.

“Halal is the most discriminatory “choice” that seeks to create a parallel economy by denying jobs to non-muslims. A meat eater can work in a “pure veg” restaurant, but a non-muslim can NOT in any capacity be involved in the halal process,” tweeted a user.


But she claimed the comparison was invalid.


There was a counter to her counter though


‘Entitlement of non-vegetarians in India’


Some alleged that she deliberately tweeted it to go viral


Amidst the outrage, the woman also found support from a section of social media.

“I find nothing more unappetizing than these "pure veg" sign boards outside restaurants,” tweeted a user.


‘Pure veg is a caste-marker’




Following the debate her tweet sparked, the woman came up with another tweet, where she claimed that, “vegetarianism drives untouchability & leads to discrimination against meat-eaters specially Dalits, Muslims & Christians.”


“Vegetarianism has nothing to do with animal love but simply a caste marker. These so-called vegetarians have no issues using milk & other animal products but weaponize vegetarianism solely to discriminate & harass others,” she went on to add.


Meanwhile, sarcastic jokes flowed in response.