Accusing the Vice Chancellor of politics of appeasement, the students also burnt his effigy.
Lucknow:
Banaras Hindu University – one of the premier educational institutions in the country – has been embroiled in controversy over iftar. A section of students on Wednesday protested the Iftar party at the “Madhyalay for Women” of the university and recited “Hanuman Chalisa” outside his residence to protest the presence of the Vice-Chancellor there.
Alleging that the iftar party was organized for the first time in the university, the students questioned the need to start a new tradition. Accusing the Vice Chancellor of “appeasement politics”, the students raised slogans and burnt his effigy, news agency ANI reported.
ANI quoted a student as saying, “For the first time an official iftar party was organized in the university. All the expenses were borne by the university. We will not officially allow iftar parties to be held.”
The university hit back, condemning “attempts to disturb the peace and academic environment” and declared that breaking the fast at sunset with an iftar party is a cherished tradition during Ramadan.
University Public Relations Officer Chandra Shekhar Grewal tweeted, “There should be no confusion or misinformation regarding two things: 1. #Iftar was not organized by Vice Chancellor Prof. Sudhir K Jain. Students and teachers invited him. And he participated as the head of the #BHU fraternity. 2. The tradition of holding Iftar in BHU is more than 2 decades old.”
There should be no confusion or misinformation about 2 things:
1. #iftar The Vice Chancellor was not organized by Prof. Sudhir K. Jain. students and teachers invited him and he participated as the head of #BHU Fraternity.
2. The tradition of organizing Iftar at BHU is more than 2 decades old. https://t.co/4hUlL6UxE2pic.twitter.com/jmGNlssvEl— Chander Shekhar Gwari (@CSGwari) April 28, 2022
The post was accompanied by a statement from the university, which spoke of its “all-inclusive environment” where “there is no scope for discrimination of any kind on any grounds”.
The university said Vice-Chancellor Professor Sudhir K Jain had attended the iftar “at the invitation of the students”.
“The tradition of organizing Iftars at BHU is more than two decades old. These Iftars were attended by subsequent Vice Chancellors over the years in the capacity of Head of BHU fraternity… For the last two years Iftar could not be organized. Covid Due to the -19 pandemic,” the statement read.
University’s chief proctor Bhuvan Chanda Kapri said that such iftar parties are the norm in the university.
Kapri was quoted by news agency ANI as saying, “No official function took place… This is not the first time that an official of the college has attended the Iftar party. The Prime Minister and the Chief Minister have also attended the meeting.”