Not just student union polls, food politics too splits JNU

Three days before it elects a new students' union, the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) was caught in a new row, one that's not related to poll politics but is already an issue that's being hotly debated on the campus — a beef-and-pork festival planned for September 28.

The food festival is being organised by an outfit that calls itself The New Materialists. Barely a year old, the group has put up posters announcing 'Why JNU needs a beef and pork festival'. If bhaang can be distributed openly during Holi, why can't JNU dhabas serve beef and pork, asked The New Materialists.

This has led to angry reactions from the ABVP and split even in the NSUI. The student bodies say such a festival will "hurt religious sentiment of students" and "could lead to violence on campus".

The Delhi BJP has also stepped in, urging governments at the Centre and state not to allow such a food festival. It has warned of "serious consequences".

In April this year, a beef festival organised at the Osmania University in Hyderabad led to violence on the campus and police had to be called in.

JNU ABVP general secretary Sandip Kumar Singh has already issued a statement stating that the ABVP "will not tolerate these kind of activities on the campus, which is solely crafted to hurt sentiments of the majority students".

"I appeal to the JNU administration... if it fails to take action against the organisers, then we, as students of the campus, will not let it (festival) happen," Singh said.

Members of the NSUI too said many within their organisation are against such a festival. The SFI-JNU has called it a matter of "individual food choice".

The New Materialists are sticking to their plan though organisers say they will go back to students and check if there's support for such a festival. Member Anandha Krishan Raj said students, "mostly from the North-East", are in favour of the festival.

... contd.

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