Asura 1

Asura
Who are asuras? they are not the demons who live in patal. Asuras live here on this land.
Mahatma Phule said the victors write history and when the Brahminical victors wrote our
history they cast the exploited asuras as demons.
Asura symbolises the bahujan who work, who toil. By demonising the working masses, they
control and enjoy the fruits of their sweat and blood.
The symbol Asura is not just rejecting their history their myths but also claiming these fruits.
Gods are also not in heaven but on land, living like parasites and sucking the blood of the
working masses, they should put down their weapons and take off their silk and gold, and work
to fill their stomachs.
Asura is imagination of more equal, better, casteless, classless and gender just society.

NO COPYRIGHT and ZERO CENSOSHIP KYU?

Colonial powers controlled our resources and us by directly ruling
over us. Copyright is also a naya-avatar of controlling resources and censoring us. Brahminism
works on the same funda of concentration of power by controlling expressions
and flow
of knowledge. They even define what knowledge is.
Even censorship exists not to determine the morality or relevance of
any work but to control dissent. It also helps in maintaining monopolies and hierarchies. We are
against the brahminical and capitalist agenda of putting value on knowledge and even defining
what is knowledge.We believe that any idea, any work comes through a process and not
produced in isolation. We ask you to participate in NO COPYRIGHT and ZERO CENSORSHIP.

Asura 2

Before we start.
Beef and Pork are only starters; main course is something else only!
Food has history. History is The official story and other non official history is memory of
people and also part a of Day-today life. Stigma, myths, stories and notions are attached with
the food. Food is also very closely linked with socio-political and economic reality of our life and
this also reflects in our food habits. Food is not a private personal choice. There is no such thing
as personal itself. Our choices, taste are developed through process and which is linked with
wider society. What appears in public is actually somebodys private that we have all accepted
as legitimate therefore it is important to discuss food and think through it.
Recent demand for inclusion of beef and pork in Dining hall by tiss students created lots of
discussion around food. In this context this issue is an attempt to think through food.
Can we think globalization through food?
Do we think that there is a relation food and farmer suicide?
Why is it that whole regions are known by some commercial food product? Every region has a
specific food habits (need to understand that these habits are divided along the lines of caste,
class and gender) which are developed over thousands years of habitation in a specific
environment, requirement of people, sustainability of resources and social structures.
Globalization is a dominant and hegemonic process of homogenization of culture to
consumption, exploitation to modernization. In India it is linked with Brahmincal values which
are not at all in contradiction with globalization.
Violence, Alienation and invisibilization of labour are also important aspect of globalization.
Consumer doesnt know how and where end product is made. It is easy to consume beef or
pork at a subway joint or at Mc Donalds or even at a university Beef festival. Food is not just
consuming the end product but it also includes an entire process of slaughtering, cleaning the
meat, the smell of its raw flesh, the sight of blood and its cooking..
In this issue we tried to think through food in different stories, poems, diary pages etc. we used
A poem A beef our life by Gogu Shyamala throughout issue. As this poem try to deal with
different aspect of life we have also tried to do same
Your relation to the cow is limited:
Milk, sweets, vegetarianism!
On our Ammavarus festival day, we offer her a bull and ram.
We feast on them.
If you come in our way, you wont last long.
Our Maisamma, Ooredamma, Pochamma and Poleramma
will ask us, Orey, give me an ox
Arey, get me a bull, a goat!
We mark them for our gods at birth and then nurture them to full
growth.
We are obliged.
Who are you to come between us?
Maisamma will confront him that obstructs!
Beef is our culture. Beware.

Asura 3

The main course

Beef our life : Gogu Shyamala

1. Zubu . 4
Beef our life : Gogu Shyamala
2. Secular temple . 6
3. I eat cow and have become one too . 8
4. Bombay . 9
5. Asur . 9
6. Water for Mahar and a flag of bones 10
7. Food as a weapon of war . 14
8. Pages from the dairy of a TISS student 15
9. Directors letter to the students of TISS 17
10.Our food, our right 20
11.Students response ... 20
12. Will the Indian state let them eat? .. 26
Beef our life : Gogu Shyamala
13. Kyu ki mai bhookha hun! . 27

Asura 4

Zubu

Music has been an integral part of habshi

cultural. Their dance used to call Zubu.
They used to perform this dance around an
open fire. On pole they tied an animal and
over open fire they roasted it. While
cooking male dancers made a circle around
it. They started dancing and singing on
rising beat of drums. When the animal was
sufficiently cooked, it was cut into pieces by
the dancers and consumed. Zubu means
"cutting an animal." This was a dance of
thanksgiving.
Contemporary dances of the Habshis are
symbolic. Since most can no longer afford
animals to roast, they simply dance in a big
circle to the rhythmic beat of drums.
Habshis were brought to India through
slave trade, in the medieval era from Africa.
They were traded for military. Today people
from.

Habshi community are there all over the

subcontinent, in Konkan, coastal Karnataka
belt, Hyderabad, Delhi etc. Malik Amber, a
slave under old Nizam shahi who rose to
become the famous pradhan who built the
city of Aurangabad and the first person to
talk of deccan for deccanites and not for
Delhi was also a Habshi.
After the collapse of Maratha and Mogul
rule, the British who were now in power
made arrangements for them to return
back to their homeland, many of them left.
Not so surprisingly the question of caste
forced many to stay, question was of what
is to be done of their children who are born
out of Indian mothers. Finally the Nizam
of Hyderabad came to the rescue and all
these people were accommodated in his
army. Even today there are many people
from Habshi community who stay in
Hyderab

Asura 5

Beef is our culture,

beef our living green nature.
Lifes diversity,
breath of our soul.
Do not eat beef! But how?
I ask you. Another question:
Who are you to tell me what to eat or not?
Where have you come from?
What is your relationship to me?
I ask.
To this day
have you reared a pair of bullocks?
A pair of sheep?
A buffalo or two?
Have you driven them to the forest to graze?
Have you at least reared a pair of fowl?
Have you once waded into the stream
to scrub and wash their bulk?
Youve never plumbed a bullocks ear,
nor do you know the number of its teeth.
Dont know the medicine for its toothache,
dont know to trim its painful hooves!
Do you know of cattle fuzz?
What, in the end, do you know
my friend, but to say dont eat beef?

Asura 6

Secular temple
The temple entry satyagrah movement was
on its peak, sometime in the 1930s . The
doors that were fearlessly open till some
time ago had to be guarded now. Earlier the
caste police that was carefully planted in
everyones mind made sure that the temple
was safe Caste police is nothing but fear,
Ambedkars inspiration had started making
people fearless, and all this was causing real
trouble.
All the peace in the kalaram mandir was
getting disturbed. The temple was gripped
with the anxiety of impurity and corruption,
the untouchables had started breaking the
rules.
The caste police of their minds was not
functioning properly, they had to employ
the real police, the state police to guard the
temple. Poor things! They themselves had
to take up arms, like their touchable gods
and stand guard to the temple, preserve its
purity.

Fear also loomed over the outskirts of the

town. It was a very different type of fear
here. It was a fear of attack, of violence.
Only pundits were all allowed to enter.
One fine day, a man in a neatly wrapped
dhoti one of its ends held in his hand, and a
recently shaved head with a shendi intact,
the holy thread hanging carefully over his
flat belly walks into the temple.
Apart from the numerous policemen with
arms stationed outside, there are many
more pundits standing at every step and
corner of the temple. They are protecting
their fort, they are armed with lathis.
He feels a chill in his body. The pooja plate
in his hand passes their watchful gaze. He
has reached the shrine. Just as they turned
their heads away with assured smiles, a
loud cry babsaheb cha vijay aso rings
out through the temple.
A moment of shocked silence followed by
the sounds of lathis and cries of resistance.

Exercise
Based on the above story, answer the following questions in the context of TISS temple(no
word limit. No limit for imagination as well)
Q.1) does this story apply to other temple? If yes, explain.
ANS. yes, I think this story applies to other temples. It applies to TISS temple. is there any need
to explain?

Asura 7

Q.2) Constitution forced tiss to open its gates for the Bahujans. List out the new forms in
which the pundit guarding their temple against impurity and corruption.
Ans: These are the new forms
1) Changing pattern of entrance exams and student selection process. It is being made sure
through the change in the content of entrance exam paper for example, making it Multiple
choice questions, online exam and raising application fees etc. makes sure that only students
who can utter the shlokas of the market, who can be obedient, who will not ask unnecessary
questions can get an entrance to become the AGENTS (dalal) of social change.
2)
Learning the language of academics so that we can write and publish something and get
away without practicing it. Like Tata, who was once an opium trader but now he is the
development darling. Like TISS that talks about housing for beggars but helped authorities to
remove the path-dwellers of Agarwadi.
Add more examples.
Q. 3) How to become pandit/good academician/ good student?
ANS. It is a very elaborate ritual. We need to follow the following steps to achieve this.
1) Start talking like them, start chanting their shlokas. Start saying simple things in big big words
with theories.
2) Start eating pasta like them and drinking at hotspot.
3) Dont ask any real questions. (real = uncomfortable). To anyone (including director).
4) Learn the art of giving voice to the marginalized.
5) Be an ideal TISS student. 100% attendance. All submissions on time. Dont participate with
illegal groups.
6) Attend all programs but be careful and be politically correct.
So on..
Q. 3) What will happen when raise question of your right?
Ans: in tiss temple you cant raise or assert question of your own right only you can speak for
rights of others and empowered them with writing reports.
You will polarise student community when you raise question of your right (as such student
community is homogeneous who dont have any politics and conflict)
If these raised questions reach the director you are running the risk of being thrown out.

Asura 8

I EAT COW AND HAVE BECOME ONE TOO

Untouchable!
Yes; Im like electricity
not accessible to your
cold touch
Untouchable!
Yes; Im like the depth of the ocean
not accessible to the touch
of your searing eyes
Untouchable!
Yes; Im the breast-sprouted land,
a Sambhogini1
full of life, who loves skin;
forests and valleys, rivers and mountains
take birth in me
Untouchable!
Yes; I dont care for
you faggots who indulge
in your solipsistic schemes;
rather I care for
the monkey which jumps from tree to tree
with its young one clinging to its sides
Untouchable!
Yes; I do not fear
the radiance of your eyes
which without tears and tomorrows
have become a furnace for

money and nuclear weapons;

rather I fear
the dog which eats
your shit and guards your house
Fake eyes dont see dreams
Untouchable!
Yes; I eat cow
and have become one
dancing in valleys, mountains, plains;
firmly planting my foot on land
I lift my tail to hit the rainbow,
I gore the rainy clouds and
fling them over graveyards
Untouchable!
Yes; I eat cow
and have become one.
I with an udder in every strand of my body
hair
roam around feeding milk to babies found
in garbage dumps
Untouchable!
Yes; I became cow by eating it
But I will not eat your foder
to become human like you;
I
cant
eat
humans.

Govu Tindu Govinantaadavanu-N.K. Hanumantiah, translated from Kannada by Ankur

Betageri.(source: Anveshi broadsheet)

Asura 9

Bombay
Some years back, I saw a short film on
Bombay. It starts with a person sitting in a
hotel (his face was not shown!) and he is
eating. For a long time he is served different
regional foods (all this food was pure) but
nothing satisfied his hunger. At last they
served him a vadapav. Only after e ating
vadapav he is satisfied. The documentary
ends with by saying Bombay Is created and

owned by the workers.....workers from

different region, not just the marathi
manus.. but now when I think about the
video, Bombay is still here, so is the vada
pav, but where are its workers? Neither in
Bombay, nor in the vada pav.
Few other questions remainwhich
workers created Bombay? What was their
food?

Asur

, , ,

, 60

,
()

Asura 10

Water for Mahar and a flag of bones

Like every summer this year too the sun had
burnt the entire river dry. To get water one
had to dig up the river bed, make a small
pond, a jhara in which the water from the
snd could fill up.

Gena replied listen, I break rocks, I know

that our side of the river is very rocky. To
him someone said see we will have to take
p the villages wrath on our heads if we
dont act cautiously.

A long shadow of the stting sun spread from

the tree of the chavdi in the maharwada. It
was Saturday, market day, young and old
men were sitting on the Chavdi , when
somebody brought up the issue of no
water. Old Naru spoke out from one corner
our women have to stand for the whole
day to get water in this wretched heat, till
the water comes the cooking fire lies dead
in the house, even the men cannot leave for
work. he added why is it that all of you
are sitting idle here, bantering your time
away? Go take an axe, a phauda, a baskets
and get to work. Dig up a jhara in the
riverand put all this to rest 10 of your
working hands can get things done in no
time.

The three young wrestlers shiva, madhava

and eknath landed two slaps on their thighs
and said we will see what happens, today
let us go and dig up on the up-side where
there are no rocks and see the jhara fill up
with water.

Dhondi sitting below nodded his head in

agreement, and all the others too. Before
everyone got up to leave Namya mahar
questioned loudly but where should we dig
it?
Someone instantly replied the up side of
the river is all soft sand, no rocks at all
Namya spoke out again listen everyone,
the jhara cannot be on the up side it will
cross the boundry and into the maratha
side the village will unnecessarily turn on
us then.
Our neighbor added if so then lets dig it on
our side, the down side.

Someone softly warned see you young

boys dont be reckless. Dont you know this
is Desai Patils village and not ours. You
dont know what trouble we can get into.
Dig the jhara on our side only. At this
Madhav said we cannot live by this
villages rules. Are we trying to loot their
village? Isnt it for water that we are doing
all this? Should we dies without water
instead ! we will see what happens, the
jhara will be dug on the up side at anycost
today itself.
come on now, dont let anymore doubts
into your heads. Go home and get ready,
lets leave. At this everyone got up and
after a while reached the river bed with a
phauda, a topli, khudal each. Young boys,
working men, some kids and some old men
all together finalized a nice spot for the
jhara. There were no rocks at all. 10 of their
hardworking hands finished the work in no
time and a chest deep, an arm long and two
arms wide jhara was ready. It quickly came
to life as water from the sand rose up in it.
The men were all burnt put after working
on the heat. Cupping the water in their
palms the tired men drank up stomach full

Asura 11

from the jhara. The sun had set and it was

dark. To protect the jhara from animals
they put a thornfence of beer tree branches
all around it.
Next morning the womrn reached early and
reassured smiles spread across their faces.
With morning even the news of the new
Mahar jhara spread all over the village.
Hirwat Patil was in a bad mood since the
news. He had been hearing people
complain since the morning. Everywhere,
near the Marutis Mandir, at someones
door, on the market road the jhara was the
only thing people spoke about and kept
cursing.
the damned mahars have dug up their
jhara on our side.
they have lost their heads, want to ruin the
whole village, crossing their thresholds like
this! they have schemed to pollute the
whole village.
now what is left to there to pollute. The
men and women from other villages who
are passing by, unaware, are already
drinking the water from these Mahars
jhara
these motherfuckers have gotten too
bold
ofcourse, their Ambedkar baba is now
behind them no ! well have to do
something about them otherwise they will
start getting on top of our heads. We need
to show them thri place.
Whatever was being said in the village fell
upon the ears of the Mahars. Old men were
found worrying while the younger ones
roamed around without a care.

Saturday again. the market was jam packed.

As the day went down, the message went
around and everyone in the village was to
gather at the Maruti temple to discuss this
new problem. Even the mahars were called.
The Mahars sat on the ground in front of
the temple to one side. The other village
men some leaning over a pillar, some inside
the temple and some sat down on the
stairs. There was Deshmukh patils family
men there, Rao sahib, Rustom rao and who
not. There were 12 of the balutedars as
well.
Everyones silence was broken by Abba
sitting on the stairs. come on! Brothers !
why have you called the whole village here,
lets let them know.
Desai shot up O! do you people not know
what is going on in the village.
what do we know of the village, we are
work all day

Someone spelled it out clearly O! these

Mahars have crossed their boundary and
dug up the up side of the river another
added other villagers coming to our village
are unaware and drinking water from their
jhara, getting polluted.
At this Rustom rao deshmukh said
shouldnt people know from where and
whose water they are drinking. People need
to be told that this is mahars water, dont
drink it! Can we let our people get polluted
like this.
these motherfuckers are corrupting us
Marathas, our caste.

Asura 12

the other day a man from nagjhara drank

up from the jhara when I asked him the
poor man didnt know this was their water.

then how is it that the people are drinking

from your water? a voice from the temple
accused.

The old women who had come for the

market went straight to the jhara. When
she came to know all colour drained from
her face and she immediately took to the
road cursing all of us.

how can we control what happens behind

our backs they replied.

Everyone started cursing and complaining

loudly about them Mahars. At this Rustom
Rao interrupted calm down all of you. Even
these people are here, lets listen to what
they have to say.
Someone sitting by the pillar asked what is
all this, have you all planned to ruin us
Marathas?
Kisna mahar spoke up calmly and cautiously
the village talk has fallen upon our ears as
well since the past ten fifteen days. We
heard you even now. Now let the village
only decide what to do about our water
problem. We will do as you say.
A man from inside the temple responded
oh! It is very simple. These people cannot
trespass village boundaries. You should stay
in your place.
Dhondi Mahar replied O! but our side of
the river is stuck with rocks what should we
do?
then break the rocks.
what is the use of all that hard work, in
another month the rains will start.
Someone else added our people have been
telling everone that this is mahars jhara.

we do not know all that. Our people are

getting polluted by your jhara. Well have to
fill it back up with sand and finish all this.
yes yes all this has to close down! There
isnt another way! a voice from the temple
came.
close it or well take care of these Mahars
another voice rang out from the dark.
Rustom Rao cooled these men down. At this
Deshmukh sahib asked what do you
mahars want? We can close down the jhara
or you can ask one of your men to sit there
all day and warn people to not drink from
there.
Dhondi Mahar spoke out O! Desai how is
this possible? Do we go out, work and fill
our stomachs or keep a man there to simply
sit all day! Well go hungry. We cannot
afford that. Pandya Mahar added tell us
another solution, dont tell us to close the
jhara down. We will die without water.
At this another solution from the old Patil
sitting at the stairs came out you people
can keep the jhara! .. arre arre let me
finish.. what you can do is, hoist up the
bones of a dead bull up a bamboo stick and
put it near the water. No Maratha or a man
woman from another village will even come
close.
yes this is right! .. hoist up a flag with a
bone on it, other will be warned. Everyone

Asura 13

agreed a bone up a bamboo stick will be

an ideal mahar flag! They should do that.

out, the older men submitted that they are

ready to accept the villages demand.

All the Mahars were dumbfounded. No one

said a word.

Next day the flag with a bone of a dead

animal went up. People coming towards the
jhara turned back as soon as they saw the
flag. They all came to know it was the
mahars mark and their water.

Desai asked again so tell us, do Appas

words resolve the issue or should we close
the jhara down?
Putting a dead animals bone on a stick as a
flag was something that they had never
imagined. They were unable to accept it.
They started discussing softly amonst
themselves. The younger ones were ready
to face the village and didnt care, but the
older men were scared and spoke of
agreeing. The summer was really bad and
they couldnt imagine surviving without the
water from the jhara. Seeing no other way

An angry fire rose in each heart in the

maharwada. Even I was very angry.

Shankarrao Kharat/ Taral antaral

(autobiography, marathi)
note: Attempted to translate as
close to the original as possible.

Asura 14

Food as weapon: never ending war on Palestine

It's Ramadan, the holy month, and we should be celebrating. The "Iftar" meal - at sunset to
break the day's fasting - is usually a huge family occasion. My brother's and sister's families
would join us, or I'd go to the beach with friends. But this year we spend Iftar on our own, with
the sound of explosions and ambulances in the background, phoning relatives to check if they
are safe
It is not new that food is most important weapon. If you dont have armoury dont worry but to
win war you need to control food supply. Israel military restricted flow of food continuously.
Even they calculated 2,279 calories per person and impose restriction on food import.
1.1million of Gaza's 1.4 million residents depend on outside food assistance
one-fifth of Palestinian children were suffering from malnutrition -

Your daughter is ugly.

She knows loss intimately,
carries whole cities in her belly.
As a child, relatives wouldnt hold her.
She was splintered wood and sea water.
They said she reminded them of the war.
Your daughters face is a small riot,
her hands are a civil war,
a refugee camp behind each ear,
a body littered with ugly things
but God,
doesnt she wear the world well.
----Warsan Shire

Asura 15

Pages from the diary of a Tiss student

People here are very careful
when they walk,talk eat
but they are fake.
Yahan pe sab ka baat karne ka ek hi style hai.
I am scared I will start talking like them.
They hardly know anything about anything but they talk as if they know everything.
I left science because I didnt want to be a robot like my other friends.
i wanted to be me.
I wanted to think, I wanted to share.
.
Mere class ke sab log ek doosre ko watsup karke bolte hai.
I say hi.
Class ke bahar maine pehle baar tapir pe ek ko comrade bolte huye suna.
Wo sab cigarette pee rahe the.
I even heard a senior saying jai bhim to my friend.
It was new for me.
..
Here there is something called foundation course. Ye foundation classes convection center mai
hote hai jo eak bade theater ki tarh hai aur Usmai AC bhi hai kushan ke seat bhi hai I really like
it !!!!
They introduce us to realities of our own lives as if we are Europeans who dont know anything
about people.
But when people started opening their mouths they vomit they are really like aliens and then I
realized the importance of this foundation course.
Yahan jo bhi aate hai they are really very rich and they are like foreigners and TISS
acknowledges and designs itself for their needs.
Kal ke class me movements ke bare me introduction hua. While listening to the lecture I felt a
burning inside, when I I looked around to see others reaction I overheard some people
complaining about the legth of the lecture and wanting to go out for a smoke. I realized that
the AC there was actually not to cool the hall but meant to freeze our heart and mind.
I suddenly felt very cold.
..
I am writing after many days, bahut saare readings, mere class waale saare bahut padhaku hai
isliye mujhe bhi iss baar padhne ka pressure aaya. Aur elections bhi the.
Yahan pe sabse acchi baat hai ki 24 ghante internet hota hai, isliye poore din elections ke time
sab log facebook pe hi pade rehte the. Logo ne toh videos bana kar online bhi dale the. Indian

Asura 16

elctions ki tarah yahan par bhi kisine issues toh kuch discuss hi nahi kiye, sab lag ek doosre ka
copy paste karke ek hi baat keh rahe the. Ek ne toh copy paste tak karne ki mehnat nahi ki.
Maine vaise kuch meetings attend kiye. Iss hafte campus me kaafi maza aaya. College ke saare
alag alag political groups bhi pata chale aur unki politics bhi.
Kuch posters jo logon ne lagay the mujhe bahut acche lage. There was one poster that posed
question to almost every (khud ke candidate chodke) election candidates. Kaafi mehnat ki thi,
mujhe unke sawal acche lage. Ek radical naam ke group ne toh election boycott karne ka bhi
poster daala tha. I read for the first time about something like Lyndoh commission. first time I
felt that we as students are connected to outside politics, iske bare me aur thoda padhna hai.
Here election speech also happened, everybody was very excited. Even many of my classmates
who dont care about anything came. This was again in the convention center. Many people
asked questions to the candidates, mere saamne waala bahut baar hath utha raha tha par uske
paas ek bhi baat mike nahi aya. Everybody feels that they can ask but actually there is hardly
any time and space for real debate. This was just another drama like many of those that happen
in the convention center.
One person asked the presidential candidate if she would allow for beef and pork in the DH.
She said I will not allow. I was shock first way she answered. It was not democratic way of
replay. And I was even more shocked when she got standing applause. Many students thought
they got strong leader. Under this strong-ness they buried democratic way of taking decision
and they forgot that you have respect each and everyones right even though they are against
your belief. She finally won by 2 votes. I didnt know that elections are fought so closely..

Everybody on campus is talking about beef and pork since the election debate. I heard about
the first GBM (general body meeting), I heard that it was very eventful. Some people even
walked out the GBM as protest over the beef and prok. Maine ye bhi suna ki ek ladki ne bola ye
union ki bajao GBM hai. i heard that from the start people were raising questions about why
beef and pork issue was not a part of the agenda. In the end they made sure that it will be
included in the next one. I regretted not attending this. I decided to attend the next one. The
second GBM was something like I had never imagined. There was no place for people to sit but
still so many of them stayed throughout standing all the while. Whole environment was
charged like anything. Everybody had something to say.. We could clearly see that people who
were sitting were almost all pro the agenda and people who were against beef and pork were
standing
on
one
side
as
if
ready
for
a
fight.
Someone pointed out before the GBM started that they have changed the agenda completely.
Instead of beef and pork they have smartly manipulated it to various cultural food items.
When they were discussing the first agenda mujhe laga ki everybody will be in favour of inter
hostel mobility. But I was surprised to see many people who very vocally against it. They said
that it will be a culture shock to our parents. Finally resolution pass ho gaya, almost sab ne hath
uthaya tha. now when I think about the resolution, it strikes me that it was so easy for people
to accept one way mobility but nobody was comfortable even to discuss about combined
hostel.
Mujhe jab ek ne kaha ki DH ka khana is a food shock for us bahut accha laga. It made me think
about culture itself when that person said culture shock. Whose culture is getting shocked?

Asura 17

Few People who were against the agenda never said that they we cannot have beef and pork.
They did not have any arguments. All they kept saying was I want dahi jalebi and ghee roti as
well.
Clearly the union had been against this from the start. looking at the tables turning against
them they started saying time is up, even after people had demanded extension. Finally we saw
the spectacular walk out of our elected body. It was even more spectacular that they came back
5 minutes later saying that they could have gone to the toilet! And again without passing the
resolution
they
left
giving
lame
excuses
of
security
and
time.
Many people remained in the hall in protest. Finally we all decided to rally to the directors
house as it was highly offensive that the union manipulates us in this way. Directors bungalow
episode was an even bigger and funnier drama than what happened in the GBM. Kareeb
kareeb 150 log wahan jama ho gaye aur director ko bahar bulaya. Suddenly union people also
came there (probably from the toilet).
The director made the president sit next to him and had a sunvai. He said that he also feels
home-sick because sambar is not served in the DH. I felt like throwing sambar on his face.
Finally he promised larger discussion and set-up of a committee and response within 7 days. I
met many interesting people from very many courses
..

Directors letter to the students of TISS

PLEA TO TISS COMMUNITY TO SAFEGUARD ITSSECULAR VALUES AND PROGRESSIVE ACADEMIC
ENVIRONMENT
Tata Institute of Social Sciences is a proud
running dining hall facilities. The objective
national university. We have always
of this facility is to provide cost effective,
respected plural and diverse cultural
nutritious food to students, residents, staff
practises. Over the years TISS has made
and visitors to the institute. Within its
significant efforts towards enhancing and
modest mandate, it has tried to address the
maintaining economic, ethnic, social and
diverse needs of students coming from
regional diversity of its student population.
varied cultural backgrounds. Some students
The institute makes efforts to ensure that
may have found the dining hall food
everyone feels comfortable and provides
unfamiliar or different from food that they
support to make learning meaningful. It
consume at home. But the goal of the DH
must be kept in mind that these activities
facility is only to provide nutritionally
and processes are taking place in an
adequate basic meals without disrespecting
extremely difficult financial environment.
values associated with cultural and faithWe are working very hard to secure
based beliefs. Many food items are not
resources and create facilities and services
served in the TISS dining hall. This should
to make life and study at the campus
not be interpreted as the institute s
enjoyable. Since its inception the Tata
position on any specific individual or
Institute of Social Sciences has been
community s food practices. The institute is

Asura 18

not concerned with monitoring or

transforming individual food tastes and
practices. At the same time it also does not
wish to engage in ill-conceived debates
around cultural politics of food by a few
relatively privileged individuals airing their
grievances in the comfort of a secure
university environment. As a social
institution we have very many significant
battles confronting us, in the less secure
universe outside. We are still a country that
is struggling to attain basic food security,
fight nutritional insufficiencies and curb
endemic hunger. Based on their identities,
individuals and groups routinely face
discrimination and disadvantage that lead
to violence and death. Both our perceived
sense of wrongs (done to us) as well as our
heightened sense of rights (deserved and
unmet) must be located within this broader,
comparative perspective. The current food
related (Pork-Beef) issue raised by a section
of students contributes very little towards
redressing
the
disadvantages
that
communities experience, have historically
lived with and seek to escape. TISS tries
beyond its means to extend support
towards enabling higher education to
students in a
conducive environment. Through the years
the Institute has resisted pressure to hand
over the DH services to contractors.
Maintaining the facility by the institute
ensures that students obtain quality food at
an affordable cost and the welfare of the
staff employed at the dining hall is secured.
The dining hall staff consists of permanent
employees and temporary appointments. It
is ensured by TISS that even contractual
employee s salaries and benefits are at par
with 6th Pay Commission and they can avail
of pensions and health insurance. The daily
wage category workers are entitled to
regular wage increase and PF and Health

Insurance benefits. The cost of employing

the staff is borne entirely by the institute
from its maintenance grant and not realized
from the DH bills of the members. Since the
institute is operating under severe financial
crunch, ensuring that the DH is kept
functional without compromising student
and staff wellbeing is an ever growing
challenge.In the 2013-14 financial year, TISS
has incurred a deficit of over Rs.1.2 crore on
account of maintaining the hostels, the
Dining Hall and Hostel staff and increases in
electricity and gas charges. In addition we
have accumulated several crores of rupees
of deficit on account of nonreceipt of
Government of India Fellowships from
various State Governments. The scholarship
amount received by the institute is less than
10 percent of the cost the institute incurs in
providing support to students. All these
costs are met through a stagnant
maintenance grant. The tuition fee amount
that is Rs 44000 for four semesters (for fee
paying students) has been kept unchanged
for the last 5 years. Every year, we mobilise
over Rs 30 lakhs to provide scholarships and
fee waivers to students from disadvantaged
economic backgrounds. Clearly, the
institute is doing much beyond its means to
provide every possible support to its
students to ensure that everyone who
secures admission is able to complete
education. For a publically funded
university with an unchanging maintenance
grant it has been an unending struggle.
Now we get back to understanding the
institution of Dining hall: The primary goal
of having an in house DH facility is to cater
to the food and nutrition needs of the
student community. The activities of DH are
being directed by a Committee chaired by a
Senior Professor. This committee makes all
strategic decisions and the role of institute
authorities is very limited in terms of its

Asura 19

operation. The menu is decided by the DH

committee members keeping basic
principles in mind: feasibility, affordability
and nutritional adequacy of meals. While
societal politics around food hierarchy and
consumption are complex in our country,
the TISS DH has devised and delivered a
menu that aims to work from a common
denominator that will be acceptable to all
and have a unifying and not divisive effect
among the student body. There has been a
demand from a section of the student body
(expressed only orally and the institute has
received no written representation) that
beef and pork be introduced in the Dining
Hall menu.
This issue has not been raised before and
thus does not have a precedent in prior
discussions. It is
important to reiterate that the services and
policies of the DH are aimed at nondiscrimination. TISS does not tolerate
exclusion and discrimination of any group
on the basis of caste, religion, sex, ethnicity,
physical capabilities, etc. However TISS does
not
consider
the
present
food
politics around Beef-Pork as substantive or
meaningful issue for reasons stated in
previous paragraphs. The institute does
however have a clear view about the
potential adverse effects of such demands
on the student community. The discussion
and action by a section of students over the
past one month are extremely damaging to
the institute s secular values and respect
for all persuasions. Certain actions by some
miscreants in the past week have been
extremely disturbing. For the first time in
my 10 years of stay as Director, some have
succeeded in making me feel ashamed of
being at a place that houses such most
irresponsible persons. In the interest of

community solidarity and the importance of

safeguarding academic environment at the
institute, we have decided to maintain the
prevalent food practices at the Dining Hall.
The Institute Dining Halls will not add Beef
and Pork to the menu and will not entertain
demands to do the same. Looking at rising
electricity costs and shrinking financial
resources, not to mention fire hazards and
other risks, the practice of cooking in hostel
rooms and lobbies will not be permitted.
Those who indulge in harmful practices will
be evicted from the hostel. I advise the
students to focus on the reasons for which
they are at the institute to study well, live
peacefully and leave with a degree to make
positive contribution to the society. Do not
engage in manufactured activism on
unfounded causes at an institute that is
committed to uphold rights and dignity of
all members of TISS community and society
at large. Let me remind you about TISS core
values to which all students including you
are signatories - Maintaining tolerance and
respect for cultural diversity and plurality is
an essential cornerstone of student life at
TISS. Students at TISS are welcomed
regardless of religion, caste, ethnic
background, age, sexual orientation or
physical status. TISS has a zero tolerance
policy towards discrimination and violation
of dignity of fellow students or other
members of the TISS community on the
basis of caste, religion, region, disability,
gender, sexual orientation and race. We
will deal sternly with those who violate core
values of the institute and disturb academic
environment.
Take good care of yourself.
S Parasuraman, Director
(24th August 2014)

Asura 20

Our food our right

I eat beef
Yes, I eat pork too
Remember universities are not temples
I am not forcing you to eat
But I will force you
To recognise us.
Our food
Our right.

Students response
28th August 2014

executive body emphasized the need of

serious deliberation on the issue of making

Mumbai

beef and pork available in campus. But the

To

president

and

the

executive

body

The Governing Body,

manipulated this issue and they have

Tata Institute of Social Sciences,

muddled and coined it as Inclusion of

cultural food. The elected body walked out

Mumbai 400 088

Sub:

complaint

during the discussion of the second agenda

against

the

Directors

leaving general body back in the hall,

threatening letter reg.

without taking a vote on the same.

Dear Governing Body

Then the general body went and met the

On 14th August 2014, there was a GBM

Director in front of his house since they felt

(General Body Meeting) on two agendas,

humiliated

one on free movement of students between

executive body of the student union. He

hostels and second one was on inclusion of

patiently listened to all the arguments made

beef and pork food items in DH menu. The

by these students. After much deliberation,

second agenda was manipulated at the last

he agreed to form a committee including

minute by the elected body. Students in the

students to finalize logistics, economics,

earlier GBM had requested elected body to

and other formalities to serve beef and pork

have a special GBM on beef and pork since

in the Dining Hall and he even promised to

it is out of the purview or power of the food

organize a meeting to discuss it.

committee. Even the president and the

and

discriminated

by

the

Asura 21
We were waiting in much anticipation that

Hinduism and its religious scriptures

he would understand the issue of the

such

students and address it appropriately. It was

Ramcharitmanas,

disheartening to see such a humiliating and

education for women and shudra-

threatening response from the Director of

atishudra

this institute. It is not inline to what he

director will ask the female students

teaches in the class and also the vision of

and students from SC, ST, OBC

this institute.

the

category to leave the college to

demeaning statements that he made in that

respect cultural and faith-based

letter and our response for the same,

beliefs?

Here

are

some

of

Are

as

you

Brahmincal

Vedas,
etc

people.

not

Manusmriti,

So

prohibit
next

our

re-imposing

and

the

the

religious

fundamental values on the students

His statement:

in a so called secular public space

the goal of the DH facility is only to

provide
meals

nutritionally
without

adequate

disrespecting

basic
values

associated with cultural and faith-based

beliefs.

His statement:
it (TISS) also does not wish to engage
in ill-conceived debates around cultural

Our response:

such as our institution?

politics of food by
So is he trying to say that inclusion
of beef and pork in campus is
disrespecting

the

religious

and

cultural faith-based beliefs? From

this statement, it is clear that TISS is
only catering to the needs of the

privileged

a few relatively

individuals

airing

their

grievances in the comfort of a secure

university environment.
Our response:

We would like to know what are the

historically dominant section of the

nutritious debates that Director wish

society. If one goes by this argument

to engage in and which are the ill-

then menstruating women must not

conceived debates?

be

allowed

to

enter

college

kitchen/canteen because that also

disrespects values associated with
cultural and faith-based

beliefs.

Does he mean to say that those

students who wish to have beef and
pork are from privileged section?

Asura 22

What makes him think that it is aired

structure

considers

these

foods

by some privileged individuals when

impure and untouchable and by

more than hundred students raised

negating this demand you are also

this issue in front of his house?

practicing untouchability.

His statement:

His statement:

As a social institution we have very

The current food related (Pork-Beef) issue

many significant battles confronting us,

raised

in the less secure universe outside. We

contributes very little towards redressing

are still a country that is struggling to

the

attain basic food security, fight nutritional

experience, have historically lived with and

insufficiencies and curb endemic hunger.

seek to escape.

Based on their identities, individuals and

groups routinely face discrimination and
disadvantage that lead to violence and
death.

by

section

disadvantages

of

that

students

communities

Our response:

Ambedkar has asked us to engage

with the issue of food, especially
beef-eating to unravel the nexus
behind untouchability and pollution.

Our response:

Is he even aware of this argument?

Is he trying to convey a message

His statement:

that social justice, human rights,

In the 2013-14 financial year, TISS has

equity, and democracy are concepts

that should be practiced outside and
not within the campus?

incurred a deficit of over Rs.1.2 crore

on account of maintaining the hostels,
the Dining Hall and Hostel staff and

Actually, he is contradicting his own

increases in electricity and gas charges.

argument. The basic food security,

In addition we have accumulated several

nutritional

crores of rupees of deficit on account of

insufficiencies

and

endemic hunger are not hollow

non-receipt

concepts that could be addressed in

Fellowships

from

isolation

Governments.

The

without

addressing

of

Government

of

India

various

State

scholarship

amount

hegemonic structures such as caste,

received by the institute is less than 10

class, gender, and pro-development

percent of the cost the institute incurs in

agendas. Beef and pork are not

providing support to students. All these

some luxury. Our hegemonic social

Asura 23
costs

are

met

through

stagnant

maintenance grant.

His statement:
While

societal

politics

around

food

hierarchy and consumption are complex in

our country, the TISS DH has devised and

Our response:

delivered a menu that aims to work from

Is mentioning GOI fellows in this
letter accidental or intentional? We
understand

that

it

is deliberate

casteist tactics.

common

denominator

that

will

be

acceptable to all and have a unifying

and not divisive effect among the student
body.

Is he saying that all the GOI post

Our response:

matric students are parasites, free

babies, and Sarkaari Damaad of the

Should

decide

this

common

denominator and for unifying whom?

institute?

Who

we

just

accept

your

It is a deliberate attempt by the

dominant social group including the

benevolence and shut up?

Director to tag certain food habit as

complex and divisive. Even if it
His statement:

complex and divisive as per the

The tuition fee amount that is Rs 44000 for

Directors statement, is he and

four semesters (for fee paying students) has

others

been kept unchanged for the last 5 years.

engaging with this burning issue?

Our response:

His statement:

shying

away

from

For fee paying students what is

The institute does however have a clear

he trying to imply through this

view about the potential adverse effects of

statement? The other students are

such demands (beef and pork) on the

free babies?

student community.

Is he trying to say that only students

Our response:

who pay fees are entitled for rights?

are

We are ready to fight for our rights

As per our knowledge, no social

and face the adverse effects, as

sciences institute, aided by UGC,

preempted by the Director, but the

charges as much as TISS charges.

pertinent question is that is he and

Asura 24
TISS ready to stand and fight for our

practicing what he teaches in the

rights? Or at least they would fight to

class room and unlike his own self.

save their core values of inclusion,

equality and democracy?

public shaming and calling them

If he cant stand for the rights of

mischief-makers

these students, then it is high time

irresponsible.

for him to stop preaching in empty

halls?

We are highly offended by this act of

TISS is not your private property and

for your kind information it is a public

We are perplexed, whether we are

studying in a lobotomized lab or a
social

and

science

and

social

work

institute?

institution. His statement:

Looking at rising electricity costs and
shrinking financial resources, not to mention
fire hazards and other risks, the practice of

His statement:

cooking in hostel rooms and lobbies will not

a section of students over the past one

be permitted. Those who indulge in harmful

month are extremely damaging to the

institutes secular values and respect for all
persuasions.

Certain

actions by

some

practices will be evicted from the hostel.

Our response:

miscreants in the past week have been

accept this argument? We were

extremely disturbing. For the first time in

expecting little better. Students have

my 10 years of stay as Director, some

have

succeeded

ashamed

of

in

being

making
at

me

feel

place

that

been cooking in hostel for years and

it was never a problem until one day
the administration gets complain of

houses such most irresponsible persons.

cooking

It is true that a section of the TISS

which

the

Change has to start from within. -

family who is against the inclusion

Gandhi. Hence, it should start from

and discussion on beef and pork are

your own office. Why doesnt he stop

disturbing

using air conditioning? Shift to a

the

secular

and

the

democratic values of the institution.

something

dominant social group cant tolerate.

Our response:

We are not immature and fool to

Is he criminalizing his own students

who are fighting for their rights? He
should be happy that they are

smaller staff quarter from a big

bungalow? Or he can shift to his flat.
His bungalow can be used as hostel

Asura 25

for the students staying in the

should tell us, why he should not be

recreation hall in pathetic conditions.

booked for atrocity and criminal

intimidation laws for his letter?

Why students are been targeted

here? When there is plenty of other
mismanagement issue that is going
on,

for

example,

why

is

Our demands:

he

increasing the intake when there are

He (the Director) should give a written

public

not enough infrastructures?

apology

for

public

shaming,

criminalizing, and intimidating students.

His statement:
1. He
Maintaining tolerance and respect for
cultural diversity and plurality is an essential
cornerstone of student life at TISS. Students
at

TISS

are

welcomed

sexual orientation or physical status. TISS

a

zero

tolerance

Director)

should

start

practicing what he preaches in his

classes and should not try to fool the
students.

regardless of

religion, caste, ethnic background, age,

has

(the

policy

towards

discrimination and violation of dignity of

fellow students or other members of the

2. The administration should have a

larger discussion on inclusion of
pork and beef in D.H. with the
students as promised by the Director
on 14th August 2014.

TISS community on the basis of caste,

3. The continuous public humiliation of

religion, region, disability, gender, sexual

GOI scholars should be stopped.

orientation and race.

4. The

Does

tolerance

comes

with

repression of the students who are

standing for their rights?

stove

should

be

placed back in all the floors of the

Our response:

induction

In line with the zero tolerance policy

of TISS against discrimination, he

hostels

and

amicable

solutions

should be found within students

community.

Asura 26

Will the Indian state allow them to eat?

What right have you to stop us?

You have copied Buddhisms stripes.
Dont we know Buddhism?
It said dont kill humans.
You say dont eat mutton, beef, onions and
garlic.
Saying we dont eat meat you are ready to
slash and murder men.
Who are you to speak of animals you
who have no humanity, no civilization?

The ox, the cow, the bull and buffalo

are members of our families.
What they need we know to grow,
what they suffer we know to treat.
Neuter them and make them work we do
this.
Go to the Mala Madiga wada and learn!
We have created civilization there.
Have you forgotten that
our country was born of this?

Ecology and civilization is our nature.

War and destruction, your culture.

Asura 27

/Hungry

The rebellion from our hearts has to come out into the street,
Each thrown stone has to hit its target
that big building has to felled down now
Because I am hungry.