A video of Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal is being widely circulated by the Congress and Samajwadi Party supporters on social media, with an apparent attempt to target the BRICS summit hosted by India. The video has been edited and presented in a way that suggests something inappropriate happened during the high-profile international gathering.
शर्मनाक, शर्मनाक, शर्मनाक…… इससे शर्मनाक क्या होगा?
विदेश मंत्रालय के प्रवक्ता रणधीर जायसवाल ने काजू-बादाम खाया तो इसे फास्ट फॉरवर्ड में वायरल कर उन्हें ट्रोल किया जा रहा है!
जबकि हर मेहमान और ऑफिसर के सामने ये सामग्री रखी ही खाने के लिए गई है ना कि प्रदर्शनी के लिए
सनद… pic.twitter.com/3CjvQn8f6h— Shubham Shukla (@Shubhamshuklamp) September 14, 2026
But should a few seconds of an edited video really be used to judge an entire BRICS summit? Obviously the answer is no, but that is only for a rational mind.
Jaiswal can be seen sitting in one of the rear rows, away from the camera. Like other delegates and officials, food items had been placed on the tables, including makhana. After working through long hours and dealing with the enormous logistical demands of a major international summit, if an official takes a few makhanas from a plate placed on his table, what exactly is the big deal? We have all attended official meetings where we have munched on a few snacks, haven’t we?
Yet, a completely ordinary moment is being selectively presented as something worthy of ridicule, apparently in an attempt to undermine India’s hosting of BRICS.
Perhaps the more important question is why anyone should focus on such a trivial clip when the larger story of India’s recent performance is far more significant.
Over the past few weeks, India has received a series of positive economic headlines. India’s GDP grew by 7.8 per cent in the first quarter of 2026-27, a figure that surprised many global economists and institutions. Soon after, Japan’s leading credit rating agency upgraded India’s sovereign credit rating from BBB+ to A-.
Several global financial institutions have also issued encouraging assessments of the Indian economy. India’s merchandise exports have recorded growth as well, adding to the broader economic narrative.
The positive developments are not limited to the economy. ISRO successfully launched a geo-imaging satellite, and India successfully hosted the BRICS summit, bringing together leaders and representatives from some of the countries with the most diverse geopolitical interests.
All of this is happening at a time when the international environment remains deeply unstable.
The Russia-Ukraine war continues. The conflict between the United States and Iran has added another major source of instability in West Asia. The West Asia conflict continues to threaten regional security and global trade. Several other parts of the world are also experiencing conflict and geopolitical uncertainty.
Against this backdrop, India has continued to move forward with relative stability.
That is why a few seconds of an official eating makhana should not become the lens through which an entire international summit is judged. Criticism is an essential part of democracy, but criticism should be based on facts and context rather than selectively edited clips.
So, let the perpetually disgruntled political commentators continue their foofa-giri. The more important story is how India is navigating an increasingly turbulent world while continuing to strengthen its economy, infrastructure, global partnerships and strategic position.
The makhana video may generate social-media noise for a day. India’s larger story, however, deserves much more attention.
