Mumbai and the banality of bigotry—it all starts with food

Mumbai’s vegetarian supremacy extends beyond residential buildings. From Nepean Sea Road to Chowpatty, restaurants serving non-vegetarian food have been historically absent. In Ghatkopar’s Sambhav Darshan Co-operative Housing Society, a Marathi resident recently alleged that his Gujarati neighbour had objected to his non-vegetarian lifestyle. According to Ram Ringe, the neighbour reportedly said, “You Marathi people are dirty, you eat fish and meat.” According to reports, Marathi families number just four among a predominantly Gujarati, Marwari, and Jain population.