Segregation row rocks IIT-B campus

The bickering over vegetarian and non-vegetarian food has reached the premier institute in the city, with a ‘vegetarians only' poster appearing in one of the hostels. While the management has issued no clarification, sources at the IIT Bombay told mid-day that no such policy exists in the institute.

The poster, stating that only vegetarians are allowed to sit "here", surfaced in the mess of Hostel 12, at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay. Students objected to the "segregation", calling it discrimination based on the food preferences.

"We haven't ever heard of the institute having a policy wherein informally a separate place/seating is designated to vegetarian students where non-vegetarians are not allowed. This was surprising. I don't care if vegetarians have their own space. But, how can they put up posters on their own? Do they have any official permission from the institute?" asked a research scholar.

No one from IIT Bombay has issued any clarification. Fie pic/AFP

Another student told mid-day, "It's time the institute launched an investigation to find out who was involved in this, unless the management is backing these people. If they don't, students in other hostels will be encouraged to put up such discriminatory posters, too."

No such policy

On July 15, following complaints, Hostel 12 general secretary (GS) sent an email to all the residents, clarifying that there was no such segregation of seating at the canteen. "While there is a counter for distribution of Jain food, there are no designated seating spaces for them. We would like to remind you that such behaviour is unacceptable and against the values of mutual respect and tolerance that we strive to uphold in our community," the email read.

On July 29, Ambedkar-Periyar-Phule Study Circle (APPSC), a students' collective from the institute, took to Twitter to highlight the issue.

The email sent by general secretary, Hostel 12, to residents, clarifying that there is no such segregation policy

APPSC tweeted, "Even though RTIs and mails show that there is no policy from the institute 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 group tweeted again on July 20, stating that the mess caterers of Hostel 10 at IIT Bombay was fined Rs 50,000 September 2022 by the mess council "because vegetarian food was cooked on the stove reserved for cooking non-veg food. Not utensils, not plates...stove."

Twitter debate

The tweet triggered a debate, with one user, @IITBforBharat, stating, "There is a students and Prof lobby at IIT Bombay who support and deliberately allow this propaganda against vegetarian space in mess, it's really sad that administration don't take any action."

Another twitter user, @raj_raj88, quipped, "When will they fine the air from non-veg food touching the veg food?"

@RajuRaj68284560 tweeted, "Food preferences are individual right n are to be respected by all. It is only correct n proper for others to be considerate as a matter of decency. Hope better sense prevails."

July 14
Day students reported the poster

July 15
Day Hostel 12 GS clarified there's no such policy