Professor draws parallel between vegetarianism and militancy, attributes food choices to caste influences

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The controversy at IIT Bombay over the selection of food and hurting sentiments by non-veg eaters was escalated additional after Sociology Professor Suryakant Waghmore drew a comparability between vegetarians and “militants” (terrorists) amidst the talk surrounding segregated eating preparations for vegetarians on the institute.

As per the stories, on October 1, the mess councils, together with the wardens and affiliate wardens of three hostels at IIT-Bombay, levied a nice of Rs 10,000 on an unidentified pupil for inflicting disruption and violating mess laws. This sum will probably be deducted from his Semester Mess Advance (SMA).

This motion was taken three days after the talked about pupil, accompanied by two or three others, purposefully consumed non-vegetarian food in a chosen vegetarian space of the mess on September 28, 2023. Thereafter, the mess councils of Hostel 12, 13 and 14 of IIT-Bombay held an internet assembly with the Wardens and Associate Wardens of the three hostels and determined to penalise the scholar.

Adding gas to this controversy, in an op-ed featured in The Indian Express, Waghmare pointedly attributed what he phrases “militant vegetarianism” to the Hindu group, notably the higher caste, suggesting that its adherents try to uphold conventional values of segregation and hierarchy in food choices.

He additional critiqued these vegetarians, implying they have been predominantly upper-caste Hindus, for citing environmental issues as their main motive for adopting a vegetarian way of life.

However, the IIT-B professor took care not to offend vegans, noting, “Unlike veganism, which often stems from compassion, the roots of militant vegetarianism are embedded in varnashrama dharma and graded inequality.”

Waghmare, a self-professed critic of Hindu Dharma, aligns himself with left-liberal ideology. He contains “outcastes,” Christians, and Muslims among the many perceived victims of what he phrases “militant vegetarians.” Additionally, he introduces the time period “cow nationalism” to argue that the dominance of vegetarianism has led to a widespread aversion in the direction of beef consumption.

It’s value noting that, in IIT-B out of 129 tables within the eating space, solely six have been reserved for vegetarian college students, whereas the remainder have been open to each vegetarian and non-vegetarian college students.

For Hindus, vegetarianism holds important spiritual significance throughout the framework of Sanatan Dharma. The consumption of cow meat, or beef, is taken into account a transgression, because the cow is revered as a nurturing determine for people, animals, and nature at massive. Jainism additionally embraces non-violence in the direction of all dwelling beings, which incorporates abstaining from meat consumption.

Yet, critics from numerous quarters, together with Islamists, leftists, liberals, and sure Abrahamic spiritual teams, haven’t solely questioned Hindu dietary choices but additionally resorted to actions that violate their beliefs.

In a disturbing incident in July, Sudha Murthy, former chairperson of Infosys Foundation, confronted mockery for revealing that she carries her personal vegetarian food whereas travelling overseas. Instances of casteist slurs aimed on the writer by Hindu critics have been witnessed on social media platforms, previously Twitter.

On September 7, a Dalit lady was forcibly fed beef by two people, Shoaib and Nadeem, who additionally compelled her to devour spiked drinks. After incapacitating the sufferer, the assailants subjected her to a brutal sexual assault, recording the heinous act on video. A 3rd particular person named Shifat Ansari, a lady, was additionally concerned.



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