The administration of the Jawaharlal Nehru University has fined its students Rs 6,000 for cooking and eating biryani in the administrative block during an overnight protest in June.
The move, however, has taken a political turn as the action follows a campaign by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad — the student wing of the BJP — alleging that beef was cooked on the occassion.
However, the official punishment for the students does not make any mention of beef or any other food item.
Instead, it finds the students to have violated norms by cooking and eating in the office complex.
The students have been accused of indulging in “acts which may be considered by the Vice-Chancellor or any other competent authority to be an act of violation of discipline and conduct by the JNU statutes”.
“You have been found guilty of cooking food (Biryani) near the stairs in front of admin block and eating it thereafter along with other students,” the fine order passed to students who participated in the protest read.
Saurabh Sharma, a leader of ABVP at JNU, said his organization will not allow students to hurt the religious feelings of Hindus by cooking and eating “cow”.
“We have no problems what you cook in your kitchen. But when you do it publicly, it hurts our sentiments,” he said.