Hostel inmates cry foul over Maggi recall

KOCHI: The reaction from those staying at Maharaja's College men's hostel was of astonishment, than despair when they were told that Maggi noodles has been recalled in India. Someone screamed 'horror' while others stood flummoxed.
"We live in a hostel on a limited budget and usually by the last week of the month, we are living somewhat like a scavenger. During such times, we have swept the floors of our hostel room or cleaned up our place to get Rs10 and buy a packet of Maggi.Maggi was our salvation and happy meal," said Vishnu Nambiar. Maggi lovers are now penning odes on social media and bidding goodbye to their beloved noodles that satiated hunger during tough, penniless times.
Maggi cooked over a candle, Maggi becoming 'Maggi sandwich' and at desperate times even eaten uncooked were some memories fans shared. For most bachelors and men who live in hostels in Kochi, the ban on the household brand of instant noodles was — as a student told TOI — one of the most tragic things in life'.
"Some days, we were just too tired to go out and get a meal. It is a cheap meal that can be whipped up in literally two minutes and it requires no cooking skills. I don't know of any other alternative that can rival Maggi. Just some water and a stove and Maggi was our instant comfort," said Shawn Manuel, an IT professional who lives with two of his colleagues in Kakkanad.
For most, the argument seems to revolve around the fact that most processed foods are harmful when consumed in excess, so why only test and recall Maggi. "It well-known facts that Coke and Pepsi and other aerated drinks are harmful to health. We've all seen chicken bones disappear and toilets become cleaner with a little bit of Pepsi or Coke is used. So why is the government only targeting Maggi? Honestly, there are so many other brands out there like 'Wai-Wai' and 'Sunfeast Yippee' noodles, so why not test and ban those too?" said Vijay Krishnan, a student of Sacred Heart College. After disbelief, anger, sadness and nonchalance, Maggi lovers were resorting to humour to beat despair. "After the ban on Maggi, it was found that 90% of the girls on matrimonial website removed 'cooking' from their list of hobbies," said Vijay.