The Hidden Politics of Vegetarianism: Caste and the Hindu Canteen

A notice issued to employees of The Hindu asking them to desist from bringing non-vegetarian food into the office canteen as it causes discomfort to a majority of the employees who are vegetarian has caused a fair amount of controversy. This article looks at how food and dietary customs mark out caste in "modern" India and suggests that public institutions, particularly those which have a commendable track record on matters of social justice, need to further introspect on the silent coding of caste into the institutional space.