PC: Reuters
Is the Indian Railways going to allot separate seats to vegetarian and non-vegetarian passengers onboard trains? It is a possibility considering a public interest litigation (PIL) filed at the Gujarat High Court that seeks the court's intervention for segregated seats based on food preferences.
The PIL has been filed by one EE Saiyed, who is a lawyer and a resident of Khanpur in Ahmedabad. According to a report in The Indian Express, in the PIL Saiyed has pled the court to direct Indian Railways to give an option to allot seats in trains as per the passenger's food choices. The PIL has been filed through advocate RJ Goswami and is expected to be heard next week.
The petitioner claimed that the PIL does not have a political motive. Saiyed also stated that Indian Railways takes utmost care and caution in providing the best eatables to passengers. He also added that the effort put in to cater to the vast diversity of people residing in India is, indeed, praiseworthy. However, he added, the segregation of vegetarian food from non-vegetarian food is precarious and there is no distinction in terms of serving passengers.
As per the PIL, since food preferences are asked for at the time of booking train tickets, the option for allotment of seats according to food choices should be encouraged so that vegetarian passengers do not suffer. The petitioner, Saiyed, claimed to be a vegetarian himself.
As mentioned in the daily, the Railway Ministry, Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), Western Railways zone and the state government of Gujarat have been named as respondents in the PIL.
(Edited by Anwesha Madhukalya)