HRD Minister Lokesh expresses solidarity with ‘kova bun’ vendor

A simple message of solidarity from HRD Minister Nara Lokesh has set off a larger debate on communal harmony, political alliances, and public responsibility in the age of videos going viral.

Controversy began after a disturbing video surfaced from the Medaram Jatara in Telangana, one of the largest tribal religious gatherings in the country.

A street vendor from Kurnool district in Andhra Pradesh was allegedly forced by a group of YouTubers to eat the ‘kova bun’ he had brought for sale to prove he was not engaging in what they termed as “food jihad.”

The incident, reported by The Siasat Daily, triggered outrage across social media.

Many described the act as humiliating and baseless, accusing the content creators of stoking communal suspicion for online “views and likes.”

Tagging the news report, in a message that struck a softer, personal tone, rather than a combative one, Mr. Lokesh expressed regret that “Brother Vali had to endure such treatment.”

Amid the growing anger, Mr. Lokesh stepped in with a public message of support for the vendor, identified as Brother Vali. Expressing regret, the Minister said divisive and communal behaviour had no place in Telugu society, which he described as rooted in harmony, mutual respect, and brotherhood.

Adding a personal touch, he said he was looking forward to meeting Vali soon and tasting his “famous Khoya [sic] bun.”

The gesture was widely appreciated.

In his response, Dr. Praveen praised Mr. Lokesh’s outreach. “Day by day you are impressing us with your heartfelt gestures, Lokesh garu. More power to you,” he wrote, calling the message a reaffirmation of unity.

Another Netizen, ‘Who cares’, wrote: “Our Telugu society has always stood for harmony and respect. A few hateful voices cannot divide us. Stay strong, Vali bhai.’”

However, the response was not uniformly positive.

The Hyderabad Intellectuals Forum welcomed the sentiment, but questioned its political consistency. In a sharp statement, the forum argued that if divisive politics were truly being rejected, the State government should reconsider its alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party, which, it accused, of promoting polarising narratives under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The forum went further, urging Mr. Lokesh to “withdraw support to the BJP and rewrite the tweet” if he genuinely intended to distance himself from “communal politics.”

The episode has since evolved into a broader debate, not only about the harassment of a small vendor at a religious fair but also about the responsibility of digital content creators, the fragility of communal trust, and the expectations citizens place on political leaders.

What followed was a familiar digital storm – hashtags, rebuttals, ideological crossfire. But beneath the noise lies a quieter truth: a small vendor at a crowded fair became the centre of a larger conversation about dignity, digital responsibility, and the fragile lines that divide communities.