Supreme Court lawyers protested the reintroduction of non-vegetarian food in the court’s canteen during the Navratri festival, citing respect for religious sentiments. Earlier, another group of lawyers had raised objections to the canteen’s decision to limit its menu to Navratri-specific food during the nine-day festival.
New Delhi: A group of Supreme Court lawyers has written to the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association (SCAORA), protesting the resumption of non-vegetarian food in the court’s canteen during the Navratri festival.
The letter, penned by advocate Rajat Nair, claims that the decision was made “without taking into consideration the sentiments of other members of the bar” and goes against the “pluralist traditions” of the legal community, reflecting “intolerance” and a “lack of respect for each other.”
The protest, supported by at least 133 lawyers, follows an earlier controversy when some lawyers expressed concerns about the canteen restricting its menu to Navratri-specific food during the nine-day festival. The decision to revert to the full menu on Friday was allegedly made “on the direction of the office bearers of the SCBA,” as per Nair’s letter.
Nair further explained that the Supreme Court was only in session on Thursday and Friday during the Navratri week, and the main canteen was requested to serve Navratri food on those two days.
Nair said in the letter,
“No irreparable harm or loss would have happened if, for two days only, one out of 6-7 canteens, functioning in the Supreme Court premises, was allowed to serve Navratri food to the members of the Bar who were religiously observing the Navratra festival. Moreso, when the other canteens were already serving the normal food on their menu list having non-veg food and food containing onion, garlic etc,”
While the court is now on vacation, the letter emphasizes the need to address this issue to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Nair further added,
“However, the aforesaid act of taking unilateral action by office bearers of SCBA/SCORA without consulting the remaining members of bar or taking into consideration their sentiments has compelled me write to your goodself to officially register our protest in this regard so that such dissonant incidents do not happen in future,”
This controversy reflects a broader discussion in India about balancing religious sensitivities with individual rights in public spaces, particularly during festivals and other culturally significant periods.