Minister demands arrest of academic

MOTIHARI: Two days after

Mahatma Gandhi Central University

’s assistant professor Sanjay Kumar was assaulted for uploading a post on Facebook, Bihar tourism minister Pramod Kumar on Monday demanded the arrest of the academic for, what he said, spearheading a separatist movement on the varsity’s campus at Motihari.


The minister, who represents Motihari in the state assembly, also defended the assailants saying they were not rowdy elements but angry youths. “Prof Sanjay was leading a separatist movement on the varsity campus and he should have been arrested by police before the youths gave vent to their anger against him,” the BJP MLA told newsmen at Motihari on Monday evening.

The situation, meanwhile, remains tense on the campus of

MGCU

which was closed sine die from Monday by VC Arvind Kumar Agrawal following the assault on Prof Kumar. The attack followed a Facebook post of Prof Kumar in which he had remarked that the death of ex-PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee signalled the end of an era of fascism.

While Prof Kumar has been shifted to the AIIMS in Delhi for treatment, police have arrested two of the 12 accused named in the FIR lodged by him in connection with the assault.

In another development, MGCU Teachers’ Association president Prof Pramod Mina has expressed concern over the prevalent “corruption and tyranny in this new university”. Several complaints were sent to the Union HRD ministry against the VC, but to no avail, he said in a written statement.

Prof Babita Mishra of the university demanded immediate opening of the university to save the career of students. Assistant professor Awanish Kumar also echoed Prof Mishra’s views.