Members of the ruling AIADMK party in Tamil Nadu conducted a day-long hunger strike on Tuesday, protesting the Centre’s stand on the Cauvery river water dispute; but it was something else that caught the attention of people on social media.

Even as news of Tamil Nadu’s chief minister K Palaniswami and his deputy O Pannerselvam taking part in the strike being held in the state spread, pictures of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam members at Vellore eating platefuls of rice (that a report by The News Minute seems to guess is either biryani or tomato rice) during their ‘lunch break’ have gone viral, reports the Indian Express.

The strike was to protest against Centre taking time to form the Cauvery Water Management Board (CMB).

‘The hunger strike is to condemn the central government for not forming the CMB,’ read a statement by the AIADMK.

The Supreme Court had set April 9 as the hearing date for Tamil Nadu government’s petition seeking expedition in setting up the CMB.

The Centre meanwhile has asked for a three-month extension to the February 16 order to ensure implementation.

Meanwhile, on the Internet, pictures of the ‘hunger strike’ have been doing the rounds, with many hoping to know if the day’s special menu was biryani or tomato rice.