mumbai

Updated: Jan 16, 2018 14:33 IST

An email sent to students of one of the hostels at the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-B) has left many of them angry. The email requests non-vegetarian students to use separate plates in their hostel mess to avoid mix-up of plates.

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.

The email was sent by the mess council of hostel 11 which includes students residing in the hostel. Dated January 12, the email was sent only to students residing inside the hostel and availing its food facilities as well. A statement by the mess council, few days after the email was sent, said the email was only sent to reiterate a rule which is already in place. “For years, non-vegetarian food has been served in a separate plate and we only asked students to maintain the rule. This was not meant to offend anyone,” said a student.

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.