Beef controversy a result of socio-political change in Eflu

Nikhila Henry, May 5, 2011, 05.03am IST

HYDERABAD: Is the beef war raging in English and Foreign Languages University (Eflu) campus rooted in the changing caste composition of the varsity? While the controversy at the face of it seems to be about inclusion of beef in the mess menu, sociologists and political analysts say that the real problem is a growing resentment among certain caste groups against the increase in the number of dalit and BC students on the campus.

According to faculty members of university, with the implementation of OBC reservation (22.5 per cent) and an increase in the number of dalit students taking admission even in the general category seats (about 6 per cent), other caste groups on campus seem to be nursing a grudge against the changing caste composition of the university. "The beef controversy only brought the fight out in the open," they say.

"Eflu till four years ago was just an institute (Centre for English and Foreign Languages) which did not have an integrated variety of students. And an elite, caste group used to be the face of this institute. But the change of the caste composition that happened soon after its conversion into a central university (2008) created a strong resentment among certain faculty and student members. This resentment, however, is not usually spoken about," explained a faculty member of the university. However, with the beef controversy the divide is visible, he added. Currently, out of the 2,500 seats in the university over 56 per cent are from dalit and BC students.

While some cited the emergence of a strong dalit group on campus for the reason for the beef controversy, political scientists said that the fight is not just about a resentment against reservation. In fact, a larger cultural battle is brewing in the background, analysts pointed out. "The university is going through a transitory period where certain traditional cultural forms including that of food culture are getting challenged and uprooted. Eating beef in public becomes a part of the assertion of dalit identity which is considered unholy by other castes," said Prof G Haragopal, political scientist and faculty University of Hyderabad.

Political scientists said that a discourse on food in the country, especially when centred around beef has larger implications. "Certain food items in the state are associated with certain caste groups. Beef is identified with SC/ST and some section of OBC castes," explained Prof Kancha Iliah, political scientist, Osmania University.

Sociologists said that Eflu's beef feud could actually be a milestone in the dalit movement, where a food culture, less celebrated in society is trying to breach its way through established social norms in educational institutions.

However, this is not the first time that such a challenge is being taken up by students. In 2005, in a similar incident, Dalit Students Association (DSU) of University of Hyderabad had established a beef stall on their campus during a cultural fest, Sukoon, a practice that has been repeated till date.

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-05-05/hyderabad/29512501_1_beef-controversy-beef-war-eflu

'Beef fest' leads to tension on Eflu campus

HYDERABAD: Tension prevailed on English and Foreign Languages University (Eflu) campus on Sunday following the attack a day before on dalit students of the university by Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activists. On Saturday, about 15 dalit students were attacked by ABVPactivists for planning to conduct a 'Beef Festival' on campus. 

According to members of Dalit Adivasi Bahujan Minority Students' Association (DABMSA) and Telangana Students' Association (TSA) who jointly planned to conduct the festival from Saturday with the support of almost all student unions on campus, the ABVP activists barged into the campus kitchen and threw down the vessels in which the beef was cooked. 

They also reportedly broke furniture in the mess hall and pelted stones at the college buildings. The two groups of agitated students were dispersed by Osmania University police. 

On Sunday morning, the university authorities closed the men's hostel mess to prevent any untoward incident. 

However, a large section of students are reportedly demanding that beef be included in the mess menu. Dalit and OBC students comprise 50 per cent of the student population at Eflu. 

The dalit activists said they had taken up the issue of serving beef in the mess hall following a talk given about a month ago by Veena Satrugna, former deputy director, National Institute of Nutrition, on beef being ignored from the "traditional" Indian meal. 

The students said that several discussions were held on including beef in the menu during which objections were raised on cooking and serving issues. "We had promised other students that beef would be cooked using separate vessels and would be served outside the mess hall. Our demand is that the exercise be brought under the purview of the mess committee,'' said a dalit student and member, DABMSA. 

A representation signed by 60 students was submitted to the university authorities requesting that beef be part of the menu. 

This is not the first time that such a festival is being conducted on the campus here. The beef fests in the past were conducted smoothly without any opposition from any student groups. 

"The university cannot prevent students from conducting such a festival on campus and we are not averse to the idea of the festival and respect the sentiment behind it. The mess hall which was damaged by the students will be reopened after a few days. The university and police are investigating into the violence on campus," said Nagamallika Gudipaty, dean, School of Communication and spokesperson, Eflu.

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