Discrimination: IIT Madras follows Aligarh row, separate Veg mess, entry, exit points including ‘wash basins’

Chennai: Educational institutions in India have always been away from discrimination based on religion, caste or creed but that no longer seems to be the case of top renowned institutes of India.

Following Aligarh University’s row over vegetarian food and non-vegetarian food served in campus, IIT Madras is also caught up in the row for alleged discrimination against its students based on different religions.

Images of separate entry-exit points, hand wash basins for vegetarian and non-vegetarian students have surfaced on the internet that is alleged to have been posted at the mess of IIT – Madras.

One of the students said the posters had been put up near two entrances of the north Indian mess located on the second floor of Himalaya Mess Complex, which specifies separate entry points and wash basins for non-vegetarian and vegetarian students.

“Hand Wash Vegetarian Students”, “Winter vacation mess – food arrangements. Entry/exit non-vegetarian food students,” are the few posters circulating on the internet.

When media contacted the university for comments, an official in the mess monitoring and control committee of IIT-M told that he was unaware of the posters in the campus, AA reports.

He said separate arrangements were made for preparing Jain food (without onion or garlic) but he did not realize any discriminatory arrangements made in the campus against vegetarian and non-vegetarian students.

A research scholar alleged that what started as a demand for a mess catering to ‘pure’ vegetarians last year in May had now become full-fledged untouchability’.

“This is the first time a mess has two separate entrances for vegetarians and non-vegetarians. Not just that, even separate wash basins and separate utensils as well,” one of the students told.

Last year a research scholar was allegedly thrashed for taking part in the ‘beef festival’ by some students claimed to be Sangh Parivar supporters.