Sermons on meat eating: CPI(M) seeks apology from IIT Mandi director 

Over the recent unscientific & insensitive views and drive to influence students at IIT, Mandi, on natural disasters in the state CPI(M) sought an apology from the Director of IIT Mandi  Dr.  Laxmidhar Behera.

In an open letter issued to the Director CPI(M) Secretary Onkar Shad said that views expressed by the director have proved beyond doubt that there is no guarantee that one being in an elite technology institute has scientific vision.

The letter said that the director’s views and sermons on meat eating to students IIT, Mandi, are not only unscientific, and contradictory to your professional values ​​and ethics of leadership of an institute, but your conduct was unprofessional in forcing  personal views on students, ‘not to eat meat.’ 

Party questioned the view of the director stating that it created a special mess for students where only a special kind of food is served.  

Dr. Shad said that in the zeal to force views on students directors have acted against the Constitution of India which provides freedom to liberty.  

The views have been published in leading newspapers and news portals but no apology was published by the director to the people of Himachal Pradesh. 

 It has been reported in the press and some parts are reproduced hereunder as such: * … while calling on the students to take a pledge of not eating meat, claimed that incidents of landslides and cloud bursts in the state are due to cruelty to  animals are happening …. “

If we keep doing this, Himachal Pradesh will further deteriorate … You are killing animals there … innocent animals. It also has a symbiotic relationship with environmental degradation … which you can’t  see right now but it’s there.”Frequent landslides, cloud bursts, and many other things a happening, all these are the effects of cruelty to animals … people eat meat.  ” To become a good person, what should you do? Stop eating meat. 

Party said the director called upon the students to take a pledge not to eat meat.

Does he mean the people of Himachal Pradesh who eat meat are not good persons but People of taste have been eating meat for ages? 

He said that cloudbursts and landslides of the present magnitude have happened for centuries, however willfully views skirted the issue of climate change, unimaginable rainfall, the fragile nature of the Himalayas, and anthropogenic causes behind this recent disaster. 

Party argued that the director’s views by blaming meat eating were brushed as he ignored the blunders of reckless hill cutting by NHAI for four – planning of roads, the adverse impact of hydroelectric dams ignoring ecological issues.

Party said that it is depleted carrying capacity of the hills due to undue expansion and unplanned growth of hill towns, including Shimla.

Dr Shad said that view hurt insulted and deprecated the people of Himachal Pradesh by attacking their food habits, cultural values ​​, and lifestyles, and hurting their sentiments when most of them are struggling to overcome the  Pains of loss of lives and properties.  

The party sought an unconditional apology from the director that 80 lakh people of Himachal Pradesh humiliated were badly devastated by the natural disasters families of those whose near and dear lost their lives, and those who lost their houses constructed with their life-long earnings.