Beef, pork spark hunger strike in JNU campus
11 Oct 2012 6:16 AM IST
The Committee of the Democratic Right to Choice of Food [CDRCF] of Jawahar Lal Nehru University [JNU] has demanded the availability of beef and pork in JNU, while ‘condemning the communalisation and criminalisation’ of the campus. They have also kicked off an indefinite hunger stike.
The CDRCF is sitting on the hunger strike since 4 October for immediate and unconditional revocation of the suspension and withdrawal of showcause notices issued against some students regarding the issue. Later on Wednesday, the notices were withdrawn.
Suraj Beri, pursuing MPhil in Sociology, JNU, said, ‘Different communities in India follow different cultures. In the spirit of pluralism, we cannot expect homogeneous food habits imposed on everyone.’
Beri added, ‘JNU is a central university where students from different parts of country come to study. It should have plural food culture. Beef and pork should be seen in this light, where every individual has right to have his/her choice of food rather than the state or administration deciding what one should eat or not. we reject this food fascism and are fighting for democracy. I am sitting on indefinite hunger strike for the last six days. We demand that the north-east dhaba should serve different kinds of food.’
According to Kusum, PhD, Sociology, ‘The recent crackdown on students in JNU campus for discussing and debating the brahamanical food habits is nothing but a reflection of the fractured democracy in India, which does not allow any space for dissenting voices. It is a reflection of the remnants of the feudal and colonial structure that we still have the draconian laws such as Delhi Agricultural Cattle Preservation Act 1994. This crackdown on students also proves the fact that the JNU administration is working hand-in-glove with the Right wing forces.’
Anoop, PhD, Center for African Studies, said, ‘Nobody can dictate what we can eat and what not. This issue is related to brahminical hegemony on food culture and public spaces, and we are fighting against the safronisation of public spaces. Our fight against fascist Hindu state will go on.’
According to CDRCF, ‘While students were debating the issue, JNU administration suspended a student, Anoop, and issued a showcause notice against Abhay, Anand and Kusum, on the pretext of the Delhi Cattle Preservation Act, 1994. The administration issued a suspension order on the 19 September by alleging that prima facie evidence that Anoop was going to organise a beef and pork festival on 28 September. And the administration has still not divulged any of these evidences to Anoop, giving him no chance to answer to these allegations.’
Abhay Mishra, MPhil, Modern History, said, ‘This is a blot on democracy and a big question on this prestigious university.’
The CDRCF is sitting on the hunger strike since 4 October for immediate and unconditional revocation of the suspension and withdrawal of showcause notices issued against some students regarding the issue. Later on Wednesday, the notices were withdrawn.
Suraj Beri, pursuing MPhil in Sociology, JNU, said, ‘Different communities in India follow different cultures. In the spirit of pluralism, we cannot expect homogeneous food habits imposed on everyone.’
Beri added, ‘JNU is a central university where students from different parts of country come to study. It should have plural food culture. Beef and pork should be seen in this light, where every individual has right to have his/her choice of food rather than the state or administration deciding what one should eat or not. we reject this food fascism and are fighting for democracy. I am sitting on indefinite hunger strike for the last six days. We demand that the north-east dhaba should serve different kinds of food.’
According to Kusum, PhD, Sociology, ‘The recent crackdown on students in JNU campus for discussing and debating the brahamanical food habits is nothing but a reflection of the fractured democracy in India, which does not allow any space for dissenting voices. It is a reflection of the remnants of the feudal and colonial structure that we still have the draconian laws such as Delhi Agricultural Cattle Preservation Act 1994. This crackdown on students also proves the fact that the JNU administration is working hand-in-glove with the Right wing forces.’
Anoop, PhD, Center for African Studies, said, ‘Nobody can dictate what we can eat and what not. This issue is related to brahminical hegemony on food culture and public spaces, and we are fighting against the safronisation of public spaces. Our fight against fascist Hindu state will go on.’
According to CDRCF, ‘While students were debating the issue, JNU administration suspended a student, Anoop, and issued a showcause notice against Abhay, Anand and Kusum, on the pretext of the Delhi Cattle Preservation Act, 1994. The administration issued a suspension order on the 19 September by alleging that prima facie evidence that Anoop was going to organise a beef and pork festival on 28 September. And the administration has still not divulged any of these evidences to Anoop, giving him no chance to answer to these allegations.’
Abhay Mishra, MPhil, Modern History, said, ‘This is a blot on democracy and a big question on this prestigious university.’
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