Kailash Vijayvargiya, the national general secretary of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, on Thursday said that the construction workers at his house had “strange eating habits” that aroused suspicions about their nationality, PTI reported.

The labourers were only consuming poha, a popular dish made from flattened rice, Vijayvargiya said at a seminar on the Citizenship Amendment Act in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.

“I suspected these workers were residents of Bangladesh,” he said. “Two days after I became suspicious, they stopped working at my house.”

BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya says some of the labourers carrying out construction work at his house recently were likely to be Bangladeshis as they had "strange" eating habits and were consuming only 'poha' (flattened rice) — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 23, 2020

Vijayvargiya’s bizarre comment caused a barrage of reactions from social media users.

Poha is a popular dish widely consumed in central and western India. Indore, in fact, has its own variety of poha. One Twitter user reminded everyone that cricketer and BJP MP Gautam Gambhir was recently spotted enjoying jalebi and poha in Indore.

VVS and BJP MP @GautamGambhir were recently seen enjoying Jalebi and 'Poha' https://t.co/oXzCd5byh6 pic.twitter.com/brXFpRJcAk — Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) January 24, 2020

There were quite a few jokes at the idea of connecting food habits to nationality.

My maid was eating only noodles. I think she is Chinese. https://t.co/HzM6EKGBjY — Nirmala Tai Halwe wali (@Vishj05) January 24, 2020

My dhobi showed up eating a burger. I think he's American. — Kajol Srinivasan (@LOLrakshak) January 24, 2020

Some of the labourers carrying out construction work at my house recently were likely to be Sanghis as they had "strange" eating habits and were consuming only Gobar. https://t.co/O91F9ieGAN — Bhakt's Nightmare (@Rantinglndian_) January 24, 2020

Many users connected this to the intolerance shown by the ruling BJP for those who are different, whether in terms of ideology or food habits.

First Beef eaters were anti- nationals.



Now Poha eaters are anti- nationals.



At this rate everyone other dish other than Khichdi and Rajma Chawal will be under the scanner. https://t.co/zLrAwtZMcn — Advaid (@Advaidism) January 24, 2020