Himanshu is a student at Delhi University and an AISA activist
At DU’s Hansraj College, students cry ‘forced vegetarianism’ as Principal Dr. Rama Sharma enforces ‘no non-veg rule’ at the college canteen and hostel mess alleging 90% students are vegetarian without conducting any survey! Despite strong opposition, Rama Sharma, the principal of Hansraj College, insisted that the DU constituent college adheres to the Arya Samaj doctrine and refused to revoke the decision banning non-vegetarian food in the dormitory and canteen.
“We are not going to withdraw the notice regarding non-veg food. It is an Arya Samaj college. We have our philosophy and that is why we won’t serve non-veg food. We conduct ‘havan’ regularly. We follow our rules. It is written in the hostel prospectus that non-veg food will not be served in the hostel,” Rama Sharma told PTI.
There is a huge discontent among the students of Hansraj College over this ‘enforced vegetarianism’ rule where as contrary to the Principal’s claim a large proportion of students prefer non-veg food.
The ‘No Non-Veg rule’ discriminates especially the non-hindu and international students more blatantly. These students prefer non-veg and this ban is forcing them to leave the college hostel and take private accommodations. This further adds a financial burden on them.
When enquired about the imposition of vegetarianism, Dr Rama Sharma, principal of Hansraj College, said: “We have stopped non-veg food on campus after Covid; this is the committee’s decision. The ones who want to consume non-veg can go outside the college campus and have it. About 90% of students are vegetarian. The vegetarian student or employee cannot accommodate everybody; they face inconvenience.”
The dogmatic, absurd and illogical reasoning for enforcing ‘no-non veg rule’ given by the Principal of Hansraj College did not cut much ice with the students and raises serious concerns:
1. Food and dietary habits are a matter of personal choice but that concept seems to be wholly foreign to the Principal of Hansraj who is keen to police what all students wear and eat.
2. Depriving non-vegetarian students of their choice of food affects their right to adequate food which very well comes under the purview of our right to life and personal liberty under Article 21 of the constitution.
3. There is a concerted attempt to portray meat-eating or non-vegetarianism as an ‘exception’ to the norm of Indian culture.
4. The ‘no non-veg rule’ is part of a larger narrative by the right-wing groups to paint meat-eating as an aberration and impure.
5. It is an attempt to create the myth of a vegetarian nation in the minds of the students.
While the push towards saffronisation of the DU campus is going on but the scale at which it is being attempted that it is now even affecting personal choices, eating habits and right to adequate food is worrisome and therefore alarming!