Demand for fruit-based meals at Aligarh Muslim University; Hindu students want special arrangements for Navratri, similar to Ramadan.

Students from the Law Department have submitted a memorandum stating that vegetarian and non-vegetarian food should not be cooked together. Cooks should also be given specific instructions for cooking. Hindu students have demanded fruit-based meals.

The situation at Aligarh Muslim University is once again heating up over the hostel menu. Demands have been made for vegetarian meals for Hindu students on the occasion of Navratri. The students have written a letter stating that just as separate arrangements are made for Iftar and Sehri in the hostel for students who fast during Ramadan, special arrangements should be made for students fasting during Navratri. The university has a large number of Hindu students who observe the Navratri fast. Therefore, their food arrangements should be separate.

Students have demanded that non-vegetarian and vegetarian meals be cooked separately. Akhil Kaushal, a student in AMU's Law Department, met with the Proctor and submitted a memorandum, stating that both non-vegetarian and vegetarian food is cooked at the university, but there have been numerous complaints that the food is being cooked together. This should not be the case. Separate arrangements should be made in keeping with the faith of Hindu students. In particular, cooks should be instructed to maintain cleanliness.

Akhil has been in the news before

Akhil Kaushal, a law student at AMU, has been in the news before regarding Hindu festivals. He requested permission to celebrate Holi inside the university and now demands vegetarian food for students in the hostels during Navratri. Akhil stated that there are over 1,000 students on campus, and the majority of the staff involved in cooking are Muslims. Therefore, the university administration should issue instructions to all staff to ensure that the faith of Hindus is not compromised.

Hindu Students' Demands

• Provide vegetarian food for Hindu students on campus.
• Cook non-vegetarian and vegetarian meals separately.
• Just like iftar and sehri during Ramadan, fruit should be served during Navratri.
• Make special arrangements for fasting students.
• Prepare vegetarian food in separate utensils.
• Most of the staff is Muslim, so guidelines should be issued.
• Cleanliness should be maintained while respecting the faith of Hindu students.

Deputy Proctor's Statement

The University's Deputy Proctor has issued a statement on this matter. He said that the memorandum has been received and guidelines have been issued. He said that every care will be taken to ensure that sentiments are not hurt in any way. Professor Hasmat Ali Khan stated that a memorandum was presented to him in the name of the Vice Chancellor. The memorandum demanded food for Hindu students during Navratri. We requested the DSW to issue guidelines to all Provosts that during Navratri, the food should be provided in the manner Hindu students require and other things should be avoided and the food menu should be prepared with the consent of Hindu students so that no one's sentiments are hurt.

(Report by Pradeep Saraswat from Aligarh)