Students clash at Hindi varsity a day after Ram Navami procession

Wardha: On March 31, a day after Ram Navami, a group clash had occurred between students allegedly affiliated to Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and those supported by the left wing at the main entrance of Mahatma Gandhi International Hindi University (MGIHU) in Wardha district.

The incident had triggered a barrage of social media posts, messages and videos. On Thursday, MGIHU vice-chancellor Rajneesh Kumar Shukl alleged that a left wing group is trying to create unrest and communal discord in the university.

A dalit student, Rajneesh Kumar Ambedkar, had launched an agitation on March 26 in front of the main gate of university’s administrative building, demanding evaluation of his PhD thesis which is pending for the last 11 months.

Ambedkar alleged that despite protest from three research scholars — himself, Shilpa Bhagat and Rekha Takey — the university did not pay heed as they belong to the dalit community. “Now, the university is trying to suppress our agitation,” he said.

Around 70-80 students, allegedly members of ABVP, had reached the agitation site on March 31 and allegedly thrashed the protesting students while shouting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogan. The group alleged that the another group had used an objectionable word during Ram Navami shobhayatra.

About 10-15 students from the other group countered them while shouting ‘Jai Bheem’ slogan, as per sources.

According to the administration, students supported by left wing had used defamatory language against Lord Ram on the eve of Ram Navami.

The university administration had filed police complaint at Ram Nagar police station against both the groups after the incident.

University had served show cause notices to Manyank Bhushan Upadhyay, Harshvardhan Pandey, Gulab Dan, Rajat Batra and Ram Pharande of AVBP supported group, and Vivek Mishra, Antas Sarvanand, Niraj Oberoi, Rajesh Kumar Yadav, Chandan Saroj, Adarsh Pathak and Jatin Chaudhary of another group.

Sarvanand and Mishra were injured in the group clash. Antas is admitted to AVBR Hospital, Sawangi.

Pharande, who is a research scholar, said that in a video which had gone viral on the next day of Ram Navami, the agitating students were seen saying using the word ‘mujra’ for Ram Navami shobhayatra. “Sarvanand was shooting the video and repeatedly saying ‘mujra’. Shobhayatra is a pious occasion for us. So, we decided to teach them a lesson,” he said.

Ambedkar claimed the word mujra was never used by any of the protesters. “Even if it was used by anyone, it may have been in some other context as mujara also means salami in Maharashtra.”

Mishra claimed that though he is a Brahmin and participates in AVBP activities, this time he knows “these dalit students are the real victims”. Oberoi said that instead of resolving the PHD thesis issue, the university is using different tactics to end the agitation.

The VC told media on Thursday that the CCTV footage does not show any communal slogans were raised or Ambedkar was beaten up on March 31. The VC said some of the 15 security guards received injuries as they tried to control the situation before police reached the spot after over an hour at around 1am on April 1. “More than 200 students were at the gate of the university,” he said.

The university management later tightened security at all three gates.

Police inspector Mahesh Chavan of Ram Nagar police station refused to speak much on the matter citing inquiries being conducted by police and university.


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