Mumbai: Fresh debate over non-veg food at IIT-B canteen

A fresh controversy has arisen at the Indian Institute of Technology IIT Bombay after the institutersquos hygiene committee put up a notice in one of the canteens prohibiting the entry of nonvegetarian food into a ldquopurevegetarianrdquo canteen The notice which has sparked widespread debate across the campus and left the students divided on the issue was shared on social media by the Ambedkar Periyar Phule Study Circle APPSC a prominent studentsrsquo collective at the instituteThe notice prominently displayed at the Amul Canteen in the IITB Campus reads ldquoAmul Canteen is a purevegetarian eatery Bringing nonvegetarian stuff even in the canteenrsquos dining area is strictly not allowedrdquoThis decision has been met with strong reactions particularly from the APPSC which condemned the policy as an example of ldquoveg purismrdquoNotice posted by the institutersquos hygiene committee in Amul CanteenIn its social media posts APPSC IIT Bombay criticised the notice questioning the rationale behind such strict regulations in a canteen that lacks a properly enclosed dining area The group posted on X with one of the messages stating ldquoThe said canteen does not even have a properly enclosed dining area still they are obsessed with creating more and more enclosures for the lsquopurevegetariansrsquo UCinsecuritiesrdquoThe APPSC further expressed their concerns about the policy saying ldquoThis is not the first time IIT Bombay is witnessing such hegemonic behaviour In the past we have seen attempts to enforce a Brahmanical food culture in a space that is supposed to accommodate diverse food practices This is an attempt to invisibilise and marginalise certain communities under the garb of hygiene and purityrdquoAPPSC also highlighted the broader social implications of such policies asserting ldquoThe idea of purity associated with vegetarian food is deeply rooted in caste hierarchies By enforcing such rules the administration is not only imposing food choices but also reinforcing oppressive social structuresrdquoSharing photos of a rat and a dog eating leftover food from a plate in a canteen the group posted ldquoRats and dogs eating from the plates donrsquot bother the hygiene committee of IITBombay Eating nonveg food is the most unhygienic thing imaginable according to their casteist logic The Savarnas and their notion of purity are only to exclude the DBA students from their spacesrdquoThis is not the first time food and canteenrelated notices have stirred controversy at IIT Bombay The issue of food choice and dietary restrictions has been a recurring point of contention reflecting broader social and cultural debates within the campus community The incident is reminiscent of a similar controversy last year The institute also faced a backlash after imposing a hefty fine of R10000 on a student who protested by sitting in the vegetarian section with nonvegetarian foodAs the debate intensifies students and the faculty are weighing in on the implications of such policies While some argue for the preservation of vegetarianonly spaces others view the ban as an unnecessary imposition on personal food choices and a reflection of deeper societal divisionsAccording to students such segregated spaces have long been an unspoken rule on some campuses with a few institutes even providing separate mess facilities for vegetariansA student from the campus said ldquoThis latest incident underscores the ongoing challenges of balancing diverse dietary preferences in communal spaces particularly in an academic setting known for its diverse and vibrant student bodyrdquoThe issue has once again become a hot topic on social media with people both for and against the notice in the Amul Canteen sharing their views on the various social media platformsThe institute administration has yet to comment publicly on the controversy but the discussion is expected to continue with various student groups likely to voice their perspectives in the coming days When contacted the IIT Bombay administration refused to comment on the issueRs 10000Amount student was fined in 2023 for eating nonveg food