Meaty matters

With Petroleum Minister Murli Deora, his wife and Petroleum Secretary M S Srinivasan all being strict vegetarians, India8217;s Ambassador to Syria, G Mukhopadhaya, was caught in a soup last month. With information regarding their dietary preference coming a tad late, the harried ambassador had to turn to staff members to arrange home food for the three VIPs when they came on a tour to Damascus. The hotel they were staying in couldn8217;t provide vegetarian food and the only respectable Indian restaurant in Damascus is below par. So each one of Mukhopadhaya8217;s subordinates had to chip in from their kitchen. The only people complaining were the non-vegetarians in Deora8217;s delegation.