Campus Controversy: Meat Eaters' Protest At IIT Bombay Over Reserved Vegetarian Tables

A symbolic "protest" took place at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay campus in response to a canteen rule that reserved six tables exclusively for vegetarian food eaters.

On Thursday night (28 September), four to five students gathered to eat their dinner with meat at one of the reserved tables.

Some students joined them in solidarity, while others opposed the move, according to a hostel resident, as reported by The Hindu.

Recently, administrators of hostels 12, 13, and 14 informed students that six tables in the common mess area would be exclusively reserved for those who eat vegetarian food.

One of the students who initiated the act of "individual civil disobedience" stated that they had given notice to their hostel mess coordinator and the Assistant Dean concerned, informing them that they would not comply with the new rule.

Speaking anonymously, one of the protesting students shared with The Hindu: “We came to eat between 8 p.m. and 8.30 p.m. We chose to sit at just one of the reserved tables. There were about four to five of us. Some of us ate chicken with our meals with others sharing the table in solidarity with us were eating vegetarian food as they are vegetarian.”

The situation escalated when the protesting students were recorded and campus security was called. However, even the security personnel were unsure of how to handle the situation and asked the protesters to "respect the sentiments of the minority."

Despite the attempts to halt their protest, the students continued to finish their meals before leaving the mess area.

The Ambedkar Periyar Phule Study Circle, a student group on campus, expressed their support for the protesting students. They said in a statement on social media: “We stand in solidarity with the students and appeal to reason and call for open dialogue.”

The hostel mess rule stated that any violation would result in action and penalties, but the protesting students claimed they had not yet received any official notification of such consequences.

A similar incident occurred in July when some students at IIT Bombay put up 'vegetarians only' posters in a canteen. This led to the implementation of the rule that designated tables for vegetarian food.