A few days after students protested against the designated "veg-only" tables at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, the institute fined one student Rs 10,000 and initiated an inquiry to identify two others suspected of participating in the protests.

"The mess council of Hostel 12, 13, and 14 stated during an online meeting on October 1 that this was a premeditated attempt to disrupt the peace and harmony within the mess, despite the advice provided by the Associate Dean SA (Students’ Affairs)..." This controversy arose when one of the mess councils reserved certain tables for vegetarians.

Following a dispute over reserved "vegetarian only" tables at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, the institute has imposed a fine on one of the protesting students and launched an inquiry to identify two others suspected of participating in the protests.

On September 28, following the designation of "vegetarian-only" tables, some students staged a protest during dinner by consuming non-vegetarian food at one of the designated tables, portraying it as an act of civil disobedience.

The mess council, responsible for overseeing a shared mess in Hostels 12, 13, and 14, had previously sent an email to all residents to communicate the establishment of these specific vegetarian dining areas. The email explained that the allocation of six tables exclusively for vegetarian dining was intended to foster "a more inclusive and peaceful dining experience for all."

In response, students at the campus expressed unrest deeming this official segregation unnecessary and non-inclusive. As a result, a fine has been imposed on one of the protesting students. The fine amount will be deducted from the student's Semester Mess Advance, paid at the beginning of the semester, as it was unanimously agreed that the student's behavior was "contrary to the inclusive and peaceful atmosphere at Hostel 12, 13, and 14 mess."

The mess council further decided to enlist the support of student representatives from the Hostel 12, 13, and 14 councils to identify the other two individuals involved in the incident, with appropriate disciplinary action to be taken against them. The Ambedkar Periyar Phule Study Circle (APPSC), an informal student collective on campus, shared the minutes of the meeting, revealing these details.

In response to the institute's actions, the APPSC tweeted its condemnation of the "tyrannical decision of the admin" and urged the immediate reversal of the regressive policy. Meanwhile, the institute has not responded to queries concerning the matter.

Image source: India Today