Opposition to presenting chicken items in a college food festival prompted girl students to stage a protest in Sagar on August 7.
Indira Gandhi Government First Grade College for Women in Sagar had organised a food festival for students. A couple of girl students had brought koli kajjaya, a traditional chicken dish, and biriyani for the festival.
A few members of the teaching staff objected, and told the students to remove the non-vegetarian food dishes.
The girls claimed that nearly 90% of the students and the teaching community are non-vegetarians, and the dishes they had prepared are part of their food culture. However, the teachers insisted that non-vegetarian dishes would not be allowed at the festival.
A few people from Sagar taluk raised the issue on social media platforms, criticising the teaching faculty.
Satyanarayana G.T., former president of Tumari gram panchayat in Sagar taluk, said non-vegetarian food is part of the culture of more than 90% of the people in Sagar taluk. “Teachers should inculcate respect for diversity in food culture among students. Instead, they have opposed non-vegetarian food. This is highly objectionable,” he said.
A video clip of a few lecturers and teachers opposing non-vegetarian food at the event has gone viral on social media platforms.
As the issue began attracting attention on social media, college authorities allowed the students to display the non-vegetarian food items.
