New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and legendary actor Rekha, both vegetarian, have been crowned 'hottest vegetarian celebrities' by animal rights organisation PETA India for making plant-based foods more popular than ever in 2014.
This year's competition named 'PETA India's hottest vegetarian celebrities' was tougher than ever but no one was more deserving than Modi and Rekha for the title, the organisation said in a release.
The two winners beat out a strong group of competitors, including actors Amitabh Bachchan, Kangana Ranaut, Hema Malini, Shahid Kapoor, Vidya Balan, R Madhavan and Vidyut Jammwal, it said.
Rekha, winner of three Filmfare Awards as well as an award for her outstanding achievements in Indian cinema, gave credit to her healthy vegetarian diet and practise of yoga for helping her achieve an impressive level of fitness.
"I have been a vegetarian for most of my life and can endorse the fact that it affects the way you think and perceive life," Rekha was quoted as saying.
PETA said Modi practises yoga to stay fit and dines on animal-friendly vegetarian foods whenever he meets with international delegates.
"Rekha and Prime Minister Modi have inspired caring people everywhere to ditch meat in favour of vegetarian foods," said PETA India Chief Executive Officer Poorva Joshipura.
"Both of PETA India's winners prove that nothing is hotter than kindness, which they show every time they sit down for a meal," Joshipura said.
In addition to causing animal suffering on a massive scale, eating meat has been conclusively linked to heart disease, strokes, diabetes, cancer and obesity, the release said.
It also quoted a United Nations report, which concluded that a global shift towards plant-based diet was necessary to combat the worst effects of climate change.
