<p>Hansraj College principal Rama Sharma Wednesday refused to withdraw an order discontinuing non-veg food in the hostel and canteen despite widespread criticism and asserted the DU constituent college follows Arya Samaj's philosophy.</p>.<p>Speaking to <em>PTI</em>, Sharma also claimed that 90 per cent of the students are vegetarian and they had earlier protested over non-veg food being served in the hostel.</p>.<p>Hansraj College's decision to discontinue serving non-vegetarian food at its canteen and hostel after it reopened following the pandemic in February last year has drawn sharp criticism from several quarters.</p>.<p>Though students claimed that no notice was issued in this matter, Sharma clarified that "a notice was issued and the hostel prospectus mentioned that no non-veg food will be served at the hostel".</p>.<p>"We are not going to withdraw the notice regarding non-veg food. It is an Arya Samaj college. We have our philosophy and that is why we won't serve non-veg food. We conduct 'havan' regularly. We follow our rules. It is written in the hostel prospectus that non-veg food will not be served in the hostel," she told <em>PTI</em>.</p>.<p>"We don't ask St Stephen's (college) to conduct 'havan'. We don't interfere with Khalsa College rules. Then why are we being questioned? We don't say do not eat non-veg food. We just simply ask don't bring non-veg food in college," Sharma added.</p>.<p>The principal claimed that non-veg food was never served in the canteen and it has been discontinued in the hostel after informing students.</p>.<p>"Earlier, vegetarians and non-vegetarians used to sit separately. Now they can sit together and eat. Students had protested earlier about the canteen serving non-veg. They said the same utensils are being used and some students had apprehensions," she added.</p>.<p>Third-year student Alok Sharma, who resides in the hostel, had earlier alleged that the college stopped serving non-vegetarian food abruptly.</p>.<p>"We were not informed about any such order. I don't think any order was issued. This is unfair. We are living away from our family and we need proper food," he said. "This is kind of a backward move. There should be freedom in what we want to eat."</p>.<p>A group of students affiliated with the Students' Federation of India (SFI) has called for a <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/north-and-central/saffronising-the-campus-students-plan-protest-at-hansraj-college-over-ban-on-non-veg-food-1182206.html" target="_blank">protest at Hansraj College</a> against the "discontinuation" of non-vegetarian food and termed it an attempt at "saffronising the campus".</p>.<p>The SFI's Hansraj College unit, in a statement, said frustration is brewing in campus against the "ban" on non-vegetarian food. The protest will be held outside Hansraj Hostel on January 20, it said.</p>.<p>The SFI alleged that there have also been instances where the Hansraj administration confiscated eggs from students who brought them to the hostel.</p>.<p>It claimed a survey was conducted within the Hansraj hostel and was found that almost 75 per cent of students were non-vegetarians as against the college principal's claim that 90 per cent of students were vegetarians, the SFI added.</p>
<p>Hansraj College principal Rama Sharma Wednesday refused to withdraw an order discontinuing non-veg food in the hostel and canteen despite widespread criticism and asserted the DU constituent college follows Arya Samaj's philosophy.</p>.<p>Speaking to <em>PTI</em>, Sharma also claimed that 90 per cent of the students are vegetarian and they had earlier protested over non-veg food being served in the hostel.</p>.<p>Hansraj College's decision to discontinue serving non-vegetarian food at its canteen and hostel after it reopened following the pandemic in February last year has drawn sharp criticism from several quarters.</p>.<p>Though students claimed that no notice was issued in this matter, Sharma clarified that "a notice was issued and the hostel prospectus mentioned that no non-veg food will be served at the hostel".</p>.<p>"We are not going to withdraw the notice regarding non-veg food. It is an Arya Samaj college. We have our philosophy and that is why we won't serve non-veg food. We conduct 'havan' regularly. We follow our rules. It is written in the hostel prospectus that non-veg food will not be served in the hostel," she told <em>PTI</em>.</p>.<p>"We don't ask St Stephen's (college) to conduct 'havan'. We don't interfere with Khalsa College rules. Then why are we being questioned? We don't say do not eat non-veg food. We just simply ask don't bring non-veg food in college," Sharma added.</p>.<p>The principal claimed that non-veg food was never served in the canteen and it has been discontinued in the hostel after informing students.</p>.<p>"Earlier, vegetarians and non-vegetarians used to sit separately. Now they can sit together and eat. Students had protested earlier about the canteen serving non-veg. They said the same utensils are being used and some students had apprehensions," she added.</p>.<p>Third-year student Alok Sharma, who resides in the hostel, had earlier alleged that the college stopped serving non-vegetarian food abruptly.</p>.<p>"We were not informed about any such order. I don't think any order was issued. This is unfair. We are living away from our family and we need proper food," he said. "This is kind of a backward move. There should be freedom in what we want to eat."</p>.<p>A group of students affiliated with the Students' Federation of India (SFI) has called for a <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/north-and-central/saffronising-the-campus-students-plan-protest-at-hansraj-college-over-ban-on-non-veg-food-1182206.html" target="_blank">protest at Hansraj College</a> against the "discontinuation" of non-vegetarian food and termed it an attempt at "saffronising the campus".</p>.<p>The SFI's Hansraj College unit, in a statement, said frustration is brewing in campus against the "ban" on non-vegetarian food. The protest will be held outside Hansraj Hostel on January 20, it said.</p>.<p>The SFI alleged that there have also been instances where the Hansraj administration confiscated eggs from students who brought them to the hostel.</p>.<p>It claimed a survey was conducted within the Hansraj hostel and was found that almost 75 per cent of students were non-vegetarians as against the college principal's claim that 90 per cent of students were vegetarians, the SFI added.</p>