Mumbai:A mess council of IIT Bombay has imposed a fine of Rs 10,000, to a student who reportedly participated in a token protest on Thursday defying the segregation of tables for vegetarians in the mess halls of the premier institute. The email sent to the student cited the mess Council meeting which was held on Monday and the resolution to impose a fine.
Terming the segregation as the institute’s 'casteist and unconstitutional policy', a group of students decided to take non-vegetarian food and eat at the tables reserved by the hostel mess for vegetarians on Thursday, September 28.
The students, under the condition of anonymity, claimed that they had initiated the act of “individual civil disobedience” and had given prior notice to their hostel mess coordinator and to the concerned assistant dean that they would not be following the new rule.
On Monday, the mess council decided to act. "I am to inform you that the authority has imposed you a fine of Rs.10,000/- (Ten Thousand Only), which will be deducted from your SMA amount," the council said in an email digitally signed by seven members, including four Professors, who are dispensing their duties as Wardens and Associate Wardens in the institute.
According to the communication shared with the media by a student body, the minutes of the mess council meeting which was held online on October 01, 2023, said hostels 12, 13, and 14 had a meeting with the Wardens and Associate Wardens of the respective hostels "to discuss the complaints about the unruly behaviour and flouting of mess rules by a few students during dinner on 28/09/2023".
Prof. Manas Behera (Warden H-12), Prof. Asish Kumar Sarangi (Associate Warden, H-12), Prof. Achintya Kumar Dutta (Warden, H-13), Prof. Pradeep Dixit (Associate Warden, H-13), mess councillors Ankit Pandey, and Deependra Sharma and mess secretary Ravi Jangid, attended the said meeting.
The proceedings said the mess council reviewed the evidence available and "determined that a resident of Hostel-12, deliberately instigated the incident during dinner on 28/09/23." It also stated that the protest was "a premeditated attempt to disrupt the peace and harmony within the mess". It viewed the action as in defiance of the advice provided by the associate dean student affairs.
It claimed that two other individuals were involved and they were yet to ascertain their identities. The council "unanimously agreed that (name withheld) behaviour was contrary to the inclusive and peaceful atmosphere at Hostel 12-13-14 mess."
It also stated that it would "enlist the support of student representatives from the Hostel 12-13-14 councils to assist in identifying the other two individuals involved in the incident." Once their identities are established, appropriate disciplinary action will be taken against them as well, it said. The mess council earnestly requested the cooperation of all mess members in maintaining a cordial and peaceful atmosphere within the Hostel 12-13-14 mess.
When contacted the Public Relations Officer (PRO) at IIT Bombay told ETV Bharat that the institution was yet to make any official statement in this regard.
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