Srinagar, June 8: A BJP lawmaker in Jammu has now declared war on the Momo—the king of street food and a staple food in Ladakh region of the state which is giving a tough fight to other street foods in several cities in the north, National Herald reported yesterday.

MLC Ramesh Arora calls the dumplings both addictive and dangerous and believes they need to be banned immediately, the report added.

“Our teenagers are getting addicted to the dumplings like drugs. It’s spoiling their health. We have to stop it,” the report quoted Arora as saying. He also seems to be wary of “foreigners including Bangladeshi and Burmese” engaged in the business of making and selling momos, adding an element of xenophobia to his campaign.

He also seems to be wary of “foreigners including Bangladeshi and Burmese” engaged in the business of making and selling momos, adding an element of xenophobia to his campaign, the report added.

Arora even organised a seminar on the subject in Jammu which was attended by senior members of Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association, doctors and academics besides officials from the municipal corporation, Drug and Food Control department and the district administration, the report claimed.

Arora’s dislike for the dumpling apparently stems from his belief that Ajinomoto, the salt used in momos, is not only harmful but dangerous. “Momo is a killer and we cannot allow a killer to grow in a civilised society. Ajinomoto is dangerous for health,” he maintains.