A few days after a controversy broke out at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) over vice-chancellor Sudhir Kumar Jain attending an iftar party hosted by the varsity’s girls’ hostel, a fresh row has erupted over ‘objectionable’ wall writing on the campus. The university administration has lodged an FIR against “unidentified” persons in the case. A protest was also held on the campus over the issue Saturday.
According to BHU students, objectionable slogans were written on the walls outside a hostel on the night of April 27. Sources said that slogans “against Brahmins” were found written on the walls.
Meanwhile, a left-wing student organization, Bhagat Singh Chhatra Morcha (BCM), has complained to the university chief proctor that its name was deliberately scribbled along with the slogans to defame the organisation.
BCM secretary Anupam Kumar alleged that those who had assaulted their workers earlier for celebrating Ambedkar Jayanti were behind the action.
Speaking to indianexpress.com, Kumar said: “The BCM had planned a dharna on April 28 to demand action against those who had earlier assaulted two of our workers. Those who were behind the attacks on our workers have put up wall writings to defame the BCM and mount pressure on our organization.”
He added that those who were staging dharnas over the wall-writing controversy have links with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).
Whereas ABVP BHU campus secretary Punit Mishra said students participating in the demonstration against the wall writings were not affiliated to any student organization. Mishra alleged that BCM supporters were involved in the wall writings and he demanded action against the group. He added that the ABVP was not involved in the demonstration.
BHU public relation officer Rajesh Singh said, “An FIR has been lodged at Lanka police station against unidentified persons for the wall writings.”
Asked about the protests on the campus, Singh said: “The university is keeping a watch on the situation to identify those who were trying to disturb the academic atmosphere on the campus.”
Asked about the earlier controversy over the iftar party, Singh said that VCs and other officials attended iftar parties organized by the girls’ hostel in the past, too. “The iftar party was not organized by the university administration. The VC was invited as the guardian of the BHU family this year, too, and he attended. This is not a new practice.” The university’s official Twitter handle even posted photographs of the party. Later, the university also posted photographs of iftar parties held in previous years.
Asked about ABVP’s objection to the iftar party, Mishra said: “We are not against iftar parties. Objection was raised as the VC’s office circulated the invitation letter of the iftar party to other officers and photographs of the iftar were posted on social media.”
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