Rajya Sabha members complain of stale food

Members of the Rajya Sabha Wednesday complained that "stale food" is being served to them in the parliament canteen.

Raising the issue in the house, Janata Dal-United leader K.C. Tyagi said two members - Ramgopal Yadav and Jaya Bachchan - fell ill after consuming food in the parliament canteen, and asked the government to look into it.

"Members are falling ill after eating in the parliament canteen... Ramgopal Yadav and Jaya Bachchan both fell ill after eating there," Tyagi said.

Adding to it, Jaya Bachchan said this has been happening regularly.

"It has been happening since last 4-5 years... Stale food is being served at the canteen," she said.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu said the government will look into the issue.

"We have taken note of it. I will call the canteen and check what is happening. We must not discuss this in the house," Naidu said.

Congress leader Rajeev Shukla pointed out this may be so as the food is now being cooked outside the parliament building.

"The food is cooked outside the parliament building and brought here. I had suggested that this practice should be stopped," said Shukla.

The kitchen of the parliament canteen was shifted out of the main building after the presence of gas cylinders and cooking were found to be a security hazard.

The cooking was shifted to the parliament library building in the complex in 2012 on the order of then Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar.