New Delhi, April 23: In an embarrassment for the government, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) on Monday removed a tweet that asked people "What's your choice?" based on a photo that displayed two women -- one overweight, depicting non-veg and processed food items and the other lean with fruits and vegetables.
Twitterati immediately slammed the tweet, some calling it "stupidity at its highest" while others "fat shaming".
While the fat woman depicted food items such as sausage, poultry, meat, burger, donuts, french fries, cola and alcohol, the lean woman showed fruits and green vegetables, along with the tweet from the ministry: "Good nutrition is one of the keys to a #healthy life. Choose wisely, live well".
"Both veg and non veg can be healthy or unhealthy depending upon their origin, methods of production, distribution, storage etc and in this country, the less said the better about those standards. That's what you should be focusing on @MoHFW_INDIA," reacted one user to the ministry's tweet.
Another user said: "This is fat shaming. Now that you've posted it, hope your women Ministers take the lead and set an example!"
"Stupidity at highest!!! Is Egg ?? and Cheese ?? unhealthy? which scientific study proved it? Moreover where do Poor Indians get Kiwi/Avocado Fruits and Berries? Or is it ment to be for RICH People? ?? As far as all scientific study all packaged foods are bad or unhealthy!!!," tweeted another user.
One user went further and found the source of the image.
"So, Ministry of Health @MoHFW_INDIA picks up a stock photo which portray eggs, poultry, meat and bread as unhealthy and tweets that as health advice," the user tweeted.
The photo, copyrighted to Tatsiana Tsyhanova from Belarus, was taken from https://www.123rf.com which offers millions of stock photos but with copyright.
"And they've quietly deleted their tweet now," the user added.
A recent study from the University of Eastern Finland, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, said that a relatively high intake of dietary cholesterol, or eating one egg every day, are not associated with an elevated risk of coronary heart disease.
A University of Connecticut study suggests that eating eggs may actually have favourable effects on good cholesterol metabolism in men and women with diabetes and heart disease.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
R-Day parade: Navy wins best marching contingent award, Maharashtra tops tableau category
New Delhi (PTI): Indian Navy has been adjudged the best marching contingent among the three wings of the armed forces at this year's Republic Day Parade, officials have said.
Maharashtra won the top prize in the category of states and Union Territories for its tableau showcasing Ganeshotsav, while the culture ministry's tableau celebrating the 150-year legacy of 'Vande Mataram' emerged as the winner in the ministries and departments category.
The Navy's marching contingent comprised 144 young personnel marching shoulder-to-shoulder on the historic Kartavya Path, symbolising it as a progressive and strong maritime force, Navy officials said on Wednesday.
The Navy's marching contingent won the top prize in the best marching contingent among the three services, while Delhi Police's contingent was adjudged the best marching contingent among Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and other auxiliary forces, they said.
In the state and Union Territories tableau category, Jammu and Kashmir won the second prize, followed by Kerala in third place.
Maharashtra's tableau presented a blend of modernity and tradition, portraying the Ganesh festival as a symbol of self-reliance. Dressed in traditional attire, a troupe of women dancers performed Lezim, a folk dance, on either side of the tableau during the parade on the ceremonial boulevard.
The culture ministry's tableau celebrated 150 years of 'Vande Mataram', showcasing the song's composition by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, a colonial-era recording by a famous Marathi singer and its rendition by a group representing the 'Gen Z'.
Themed 'Vande Mataram: The Soul-Cry of a Nation', the tableau's foreground section depicted the manuscript of 'Vande Mataram' being composed, while a panel on its lower side depicted an image of Chatterjee.
The middle section carried a group of artistes in traditional costumes, depicting the folk diversity of India, while some were seen in modern dresses, representing the 'Gen Z'.
Behind them, a series of art installations showcased celebrated actor and musician of Marathi cinema and theatre, Vishnupant Pagnis, recording the song, freedom fighters facing the gallows, and an imposing image of 'Bharat Mata' (Mother India) holding the Tricolour.
The depiction was of the rare 1928 recording of the song by him, an official said.
The award presentation ceremony will take place on January 30 at the Rashtriya Rangshala Camp, another official said.
A special prize was awarded to the Central Public Works Department's tableau, which celebrated 150 years of 'Vande Mataram' with a floral float; and the 'Vande Mataram: The Eternal Resonance of India' dance group, officials said.
In the 'Popular Choice' category, based on an online poll conducted on the MyGov portal, citizens voted the Assam Regiment as the best marching contingent among the three services, while the CRPF won the award for the best marching contingent among the CAPFs and other auxiliary forces.
Gujarat secured the top spot in the popular choice category for states and Union territories with its tableau themed 'Mantra of Swadeshi-Self-Reliance-Freedom: Vande Mataram', followed by Uttar Pradesh (theme - Culture of Bundelkhand) and Rajasthan (theme - Golden Touch of the Desert: Bikaner Gold Art).
The Department of School Education and Literacy's tableau (theme - National Education Policy) was chosen as the best tableau from central ministries and departments in the 'Popular Choice' category, they said.
