SALEM: Come September 17 -- Narendra Modi’s birthday-- people in Salem city can taste idlis named after the Prime Minister. Four Modi idlis would cost them just Rs 10.
For the past few days, posters featuring BJP state vice president of the propaganda cell S Mahesh announcing the launch of Modi idlis have been spotted in different parts of the city. The poster says four idlis with sambar will be sold for Rs 10, adding that they would be prepared hygienically.
During the COVID-19 lockdown, Mahesh had supplied food for over three lakh people in various parts of the city for 43 days.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, Mahesh said, “My father Sridhar worked for society and helped over 1,000 students in their studies. Most of these students have now become IAS and IPS and are in other big posts. Following my father's path, during the lockdown period, we supplied food for 7,000 people in Salem city daily and continued it for 43 days. After that, we gave grocery items for over 8,000 people including people working in saloon shops and temple priests, and donated 26 tonnes of fodder for cattle in Gosalas in the state. During the lockdown, we provided food and grocery items worth Rs 2.5 crore.”
“Now, even after Unlock, we are seeing poor people suffering. Considering this, we decided to provide idlis at minimum cost and due to COVID-19, we have decided to make these idlis very hygienically. On behalf of the trust running in my father's name, we decided to give these idlis. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi is my hero, we decided to name them Modi idlis and put out posters in the city. We have got a good response,” he added.
“There is another reason for naming the idlis after the Prime Minister. Even though he is doing many good things, in Tamil Nadu the Dravidian parties are spreading misinformation about the Prime Minister. So, to change that mentality, we decided to name the idlis after our Prime Minister,” he reasoned.
A plant has been set up at Maravaneri to wash the rice and other ingredients using mineral water.
“We decided to use top quality idly rice and ingredients for preparing idlis and sambar. We will be preparing idlis and sambar through steam cooking very hygienically. Daily we have planned to supply 40,000 idlis at 24 locations in Salem city in the morning between 6.60 am and 8.30 am and in the evening between 6.30 pm and 8.30 pm. We will supply these idlis through trolleys. The Modi idlis would be launched from September 17, our Prime Minister’s birthday, and we will start supplying them for Rs 10,” he said.
He has also printed coupons and people can collect them by paying Rs 10 and get four idlis with sambar. “We have not fixed any limit on how many coupons can be bought. Based on the response, we will decide on selling Modi idlis all over Tamil Nadu,” he added.
About expenses, he said, “Only after we start selling Modi idlis would we be in a position to know how much money is needed per day. Funds are not a problem. I have more than 40,000 followers on Twitter and good-hearted people are ready to donate money."
It should be noted that 80-year-old Kamalathal who was selling idlis for Re 1 was in the news recently. Inspired by her act, 48-year-old Palanisamy of Tiruchy also launched a low-cost eatery selling idlis for Re 1.