Months after row, IIT-B designates six tables for vegetarians in its hostel canteen

In an email sent to all student residents of Hostel 12, 13 and 14, the mess council stated, “The mess is for all and everyone’s comfortable dining is our responsibility. There is no doubt that there are some people who cannot resist the view and smell of non-veg food during dining. This may create health issues as well. Hence this is necessary to designate six tables where only veg food will be taken by anyone.”

The email was sent to residents of Hostel 12, 13 and 14 by their own mess council, which comprises of a hostel warden, mess member and mess councillors, one for each hostel.

The email was sent to student residents after a meeting with hostel wardens and council members to “create a more inclusive and peaceful dining experience for all,” states the email. It adds, “These six tables will now be marked clearly with signage stating, “This place is designated for vegetarian food ONLY.”

The total number of tables in the common canteen is 80-100, six of which will now be designated for vegetarians. Each table can seat seven-eight people.

In July this year, an informal segregation of tables in one of the canteens where a separate place was designated for vegetarian students, where non-vegetarians were not allowed, had sparked a controversy. After a few students from the institute took to Twitter complaining that it was humiliating, an email was sent to all residents by the hostel general secretary clarifying that there was no designated separate sitting space for vegetarian students.

Referring to reports of instances where students forcefully designated certain areas of the mess for vegetarians only and removed students who brought non-vegetarian food to sit in those areas; the email had stated, “Such behaviour is unacceptable and goes against the values of mutual respect and tolerance that we strive to uphold in our community. No student has the right to remove another student from any area of the mess on the grounds that it is reserved for a particular community.”

The institute administration could not be reached for comments.

The email by the hostel council, declaring separate designated tables for vegetarians, soon started receiving strong reactions from the students’ community, especially on social media. “After weeks of an ambiguous and awkward back and forth on the food segregation policy, the admin has finally revealed where they stand. We condemn this regressive policy,” tweeted Ambedkar Periyar Phule Study Circle (APPSC), an informal students’ collective on the campus, which had raised its voice in July against the “vegetarians only” posters put up by a set of students in the hostel mess.

“The admin had awkwardly termed it as “unauthorized”, after a protest by students… And now the admin has officially declared some tables in the mess as for vegetarian food ONLY!” added the tweet.