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A controversy erupted at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay on Sunday. The issue at hand was alleged food discrimination in the hostel canteen, which sparked outrage among the student community. A few students had put up posters stating “Vegetarian only are allowed to sit here” on the canteen walls, creating an atmosphere of ‘exclusion and discrimination’.
The incident was reported by a representative of the student collective, Ambedkar Periyar Phule Study Circle (APPSC). According to the representative, these students would even force those who prefer non-vegetarian food to vacate the place. This act of segregation based on dietary preferences has been condemned by APPSC, which tore off the posters and initiated a social media campaign against this discriminatory practice.
“Three months ago, an RTI query filed by students revealed that the institute did not have an official food segregation policy. However, different seating arrangements based on students’ food choices are still practised at the institute,” the student said.
The APPSC, an informal students’ collective from the institute, tweeted, “Even though RTIs and mails for hostel GSec shows that there is no institute policy for food segregation, some individuals have taken it upon themselves to designate certain mess areas as “Vegetarians Only” and forcing other students to leave that area.”
“The need to demarcate separate eating spaces with an idea of purity is to reinforce the superiority of savarnas on campus and deem their eating habits better than those of DBA students,” the tweet read.
Interestingly, an RTI query filed by students three months ago revealed that the institute did not have an official food segregation policy. Yet, different seating arrangements based on students’ food choices are still practised at the institute.
According to a report, the hotel’s general secretary responded to the incident by sending an email to all students clarifying that while there is a counter for Jain food distribution in the canteen, there is no designated seating area for those who consume Jain food. He urged students to respect others’ food preferences while in the canteen.
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