IIT-B in controversy after asking Non-Veg students to eat in different plates

An email requesting non-vegetarians to use “only the tray-type plates meant for non-veg dishes” has raked up a controversy on the IIT-Bombay campus. The mail also said: “Please do not use the ‘main’ plates for non-vegetarian dishes.”

The request comes after several vegetarian students complained to the administration of hostel 11 of the institute. “I am getting complaints from many students who want students who eat non-vegetarian food to use separate plates. Therefore, this is a request to all non-veg eaters, to please only use the tray type plates meant specially for non-veg dishes during dinner. Please do not use the main plates for non-veg dishes,” said the email.

Within a couple of days, students took to social media to raise their concerns against the “hypocritical” views of their fellow students. “Purity pollution concern reaches new heights! Next there’ll be separate plates for different caste and religion,” said one student, on condition of anonymity.

Students residing in the hostel will hold a meeting on Tuesday to discuss this matter. “All hostels anyway have separate plates for vegetarian and non-vegetarian food so I don’t know why this email was sent in the first place. What’s worse is that it is also being misunderstood by many,” said Soumyo Mukherji, dean, student affairs, IIT-B.