Mumbai: Concern over alleged casteist mentality and discriminatory attitude on campus, a few students of the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT-B) started a civil disobedience movement on Thursday against the introduction of vegetarian and non-vegetarian tables in the institute’s canteen.
The students posted a ‘personal civil code’ on a social media platform, leading to a flurry of comments and posts. On Thursday, students officially launched a peaceful civil disobedience movement against the establishment of separate reservations for pure vegetarians in the institute’s mess by taking non-veg food into the veg-only designated spaces. Prior to this, unauthorised posters declaring “vegetarian only” had been removed after discussions with the IIT administration and hostel student representatives.
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A recent decision by the Mess Council of the hostel reintroduced reservations for vegetarians at six tables in hostels 12, 13, and 14. The student argued that this decision is rooted in a casteist mentality and suggests that India’s strong preference for vegetarianism is tied to a discriminatory attitude.
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Ambedkar Pereiyar Phule Study Circle posted on X (formerly Twitter), “On Thursday, some residents of H12, 13, and 14 protested peacefully against the unilateral decision to institutionalise segregated spaces, resulting in the ghettoisation of mess areas with “individual civil disobedience” by taking non-veg food into the veg-only designated spaces.”
A student further added that after some time, another group of students came and raised objections to the protest and called security personnel. Meanwhile, a group of protesting students finished their food and left the canteen.
One of the students clarified their movement is not intended to hurt anyone’s sentiments or incite unnecessary disruption on campus. Instead, it aims to advocate for what they believe is right. They emphasised that they had resorted to this path after unsuccessful attempts to address the issue through discussions. The student is open to peaceful dialogue to resolve the matter but has called for the immediate withdrawal of the unilaterally imposed reservation decision.
Despite repeated attempts, neither IIT-B administration nor hostel council was available for comment on the issue.
