Lucknow: FIR Registered Against Professor Over Remark On Kashi Vishwanath Temple After ABVP Activists Protest

The professor, however, said that he has not received any such communication from the varsity.

Representational Image (File Photo)

New Delhi: The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activists staged a protest on the Lucknow University campus against professor Ravikant Chandan for allegedly hurting Hindu religious sentiments. ABVP’s Avadh Prant organisation secretary Anshul Srivastava on Wednesday said the FIR against professor Ravikant Chandan was registered on Tuesday after a clip of his remark surfaced on social media, PTI reported. The ABVP activists have demanded an apology from the professor for allegedly making “objectionable” remarks during a television debate about Varanasi’s Kashi Vishwanath temple. The Lucknow University administration has sought a written clarification from the professor in this regard.

The professor, however, said that he has not received any such communication from the varsity.

“During a debate on a social media platform, I had quoted a popular story from the book ‘Feathers and Stones’ by Pattabhi Sitaramayya regarding the Kashi temple demolition and building of a mosque,” PTI quoted the professor as saying.

“The ABVP and other organisations used part of the video to indulge in wrong publicity and instigated people, leading to a mob gathering against me at the university on Tuesday and raising objectionable slogans,” he added.

Stating the ABVP used a part of the video to indulge in wrong publicity and instigate people against him, the professor said the students of the university took offence over his remark and staged a protest against him.

Srivastava said the professor also lodged an FIR against the ABVP activists and some students on Wednesday alleging that they tried to assault him and created hatred against him through social media.

“Our objection was that without knowing the facts, speaking on a public platform on the basis of a book is not right, and it is least expected from a teacher,” Srivastava said.

“It is not just ABVP activists but also common students and all those having faith in the Hindu religion and culture who will be agitated by it and comments in this regard started pouring in from the very first day,” he added.

The professor, however, rubbished Srivastava’s assertion stating that he had lodged a complaint, but no FIR was registered.

Professor Chandan, a Dalit, said that he was asked to express regret over his remark but casteist remarks were made against him as well.

“Since I was sitting in the room with the mob knocking at the door, I was disturbed, and in that state, posted on Facebook that it seems like they had gathered to lynch me,” the professor said.

“I deleted it on objections from the ABVP people but still an FIR was lodged against me,” he added.

The FIR was registered against the professor for allegedly hurting the Hindu students’ religious sentiments and disturbing communal harmony besides tarnishing the university’s image by spreading propaganda through social media.

Commenting on the ABVP’s future course of action, Srivastava said deliberations are on and they are waiting to see what step the administration takes.

“Otherwise, the students will be forced to stage a protest,” he added.