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Pic of desi students at Irish university's food bank queue sparks backlash: ‘Who gives them visas?’
Concerns have been raised over foreign students at the University of Galway using food bank resources amid a crisis.
On February 21, the Irish Times published a piece about how the University of Galway’s food bank is forced to turn away hundreds of students each week due to shortage of food. Accompanying the piece was a photograph that has since sparked a controversy online.
The reason? Well, the picture showed students lining up at the food bank, but the queue appeared to be made up predominantly of desi students.
The image has sparked a debate on why foreign students, presumably from privileged backgrounds, should avail of benefits that are meant to support the underprivileged.
The backlash
The image was circulated widely on the social media platform X, where many accused Indian students of scamming the system. It is worth noting that the Irish Times article did not say anything to indicate that Indian students were responsible for the food bank running out of food.
There was also nothing to suggest that the queue was made up only of Indian students, but that did not stop the internet from forming their own conclusions.
(Also read: Indian-origin man in Canada explains how he takes ‘free’ food at food banks, faces backlash after video goes viral)
“The Irish Times published an article yesterday about Galway University turning away students from a food bank. 90%+ of them were Indian nationals on student visas. Why are Indians in Ireland if they cannot support themselves, or is it just a scam to save money,” read one post on X.
Many X users pointed out that one of the conditions of a student visa is that the student must have sufficient funds to support him or herself. “Are foreign students lying on their applications or are they taking scarce resources from vulnerable native Irish students?” asked one person.
“This is the queue for the University of Galway students’ union food pantry, where genuinely needy students can get some basics. The entire queue, as far as I can tell, is Indian. This erosion of social trust will eventually destroy the program,” read another post.
“Who gives them visas if they cannot support themselves?” asked one person in the comments section.
“I was on the LSE and UCL campuses for a work thing a few months ago. There was a vegetarian food truck giving food to needy students for free and the entire Q was foreign students. Bit odd when they are meant to be able to pay their own way,” a user named Jake Weston wrote.
The food bank at the University of Galway
The University of Galway, located in the city of Galway, is one of Ireland’s oldest and largest universities. According to its website, it has a large community of Indian students, mostly those pursuing postgraduate degrees.
The Irish Times piece said that a student-run food bank at the university is forced to turn away hundreds of students each week due to insufficiency of food. The food bank is now overwhelmed by demand as the cost-of-living crisis deepens.
(Also read: Thousands of Indian students line up for waiter jobs in Canada: 'Dreams diminished by reality')
