Bhole gets show-cause notice, letter to file police complaint

PUNE: Savitribai Phule Pune University on Tuesday served a show-cause notice to Pravin Bhole, head of Lalit Kala Kendra (department of performing arts), seeking his explanation within 72 hours on the experimental play that was enacted by five first-year students on Friday leading to on campus violence.

Vice-chancellor Suresh Gosavi confirmed that he has given an authority letter to Bhole, allowing him to register a police complaint about the incident. However, on Bhole's request to the university for financial and legal assistance, Gosavi said that it will depend on the university's norms.

"All this is standard procedure. On Monday, we sent a show-cause notice to Bhole seeking his explanation within 72 hours on the experimental play. As per norms, we have given him the authority letter to file a counter-complaint in Friday's incident. On his request seeking assistance with legal procedures, support will be extended according to the rules and regulations of the University Act and statute. The first meeting of the fact-finding committee will take place on Wednesday. We have already appealed to everyone for peace and normalisation of academics," Gosavi said.

Sources said that professors from various departments plan to meet on Wednesday and send a letter to the vice chancellor seeking an explanation to the university's role when a professor or students are attacked on the premises.

"Bhole is still in trauma. This was an examination and he was doing his duty as an examiner. If there were problems in the play, it was for the professors to address it and correct the students. Outsiders cannot attack students and professors. The play was performed on campus. Other students have been coming to view these plays as it is open to all," a faculty member said.

Management council members Bageshri Manthalkar, Sagar Vaidya, Jyotsna Ekbote, DB Pawar and others raised slogans against the experimental play while entering the meeting in the university's main building on Tuesday under heavy police protection.

Manthalkar said that the university cannot be a place for any religion nor can it be a place to hurt religious sentiments. Ekbote called for strict action against people who have done wrong under the 'garb of freedom of expression'. "We want the university to ensure that such things do not happen again," she said.