'Food jihad' row: Local leader, netizens support vendor
At Telangana's Medaram Jatara, a street vendor named Shaik Shaiksha Vali was confronted by YouTubers who accused him of "food jihad" because his khova buns didn't list manufacturing or expiry dates.
They also questioned why he sold them for just ₹10 when others charged more, and even demanded to see his Aadhaar card.
The videos of this exchange quickly went viral.
Locals seen eating Vali's buns in videos
The incident sparked a lot of outrage online, with many calling out the harassment as unfair and unnecessary.
Locals were seen eating Vali's buns in videos, and influencers, including Shan Renjarla Rajesh, visited and showed support, while others criticized the attempt to stir up communal issues.
One woman said she'd eaten the buns for years without any problems, highlighting how peacefully everyone usually gets along in their village.
TDP leader posts that 'hunger has no caste'
TDP leader Paritala Sreeram weighed in too, posting that "hunger has no caste" and calling it cruel to target a small trader like this.
Meanwhile, local police said they haven't received any formal complaint about the incident so far.