Varanasi/Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday ordered an investigation over Banaras Hindu University (BHU) violence where a number of students, including girls and media persons, were injured in lathi charge by the police. Orders have been given to close down BHU till October 2, and all the students have been asked to vacate their rooms by Sunday evening.
The students were protesting against increased incidents of eve teasing. On Saturday night, the irate students took to streets, later pelting stones and set many vehicles on fire. Later, the police resorted to lathicharge in which several girl students and media persons were injured. The BHU administration issued a statement on Sunday saying that protest of the students was "politically motivated" to malign the image of the university.
The university also said that security guards were regularly patrolling the campus and assistance from the police was sought from time-to-time to maintain peace in the campus. “Majority of the people who were involved in violence were outsiders and not the bonafide students of the university,” BHU spokemsman said in his statement. “These were the anti-national elements who were out to malign BHU’s image,” it said. The tremors of the university were felt in state capital where a section of journalists staged protest outside CM’s residence demanding action against DM and SSP for ordering lathicharge in which a few mediapersons were injured. The protests in BHU started about four days ago in protest against an incident of eve teasing.
What triggered the violence was an incident in which a woman student of Arts faculty was alleged harassed by three men on a motorcycle inside the campus while she was returning to her hostel. Reports say three men abused her and fled when she resisted their attempts. The woman alleged that security guards, about 100 metres from where the incident happened, did nothing to stop the men.
She said in he complaint that her warden, instead of taking up the issue with her superiors, asked her why was she was returning late to the hostel. The warden's response angered the student's colleagues, who sat on a 'dharna' at the main gate midnight Thursday. One of the students even got her head tonsured. Police and BHU professors tried to pacify the students but they refused to end their protest and sought assurance from Banaras Hindu University Vice-Chancellor Girish Chandra Tripathi.
In view of the tense situation, District Magistrate Yogeshwar Ram Mishra and SSP RK Bhardwaj held a meeting with university officers to evaluate the situation. The DM has ordered for closing of all the universities, including the higher educational institutions, in the city on Monday. In the BHU, the students took out a silent march demanding action against the guilty district and university officers. They got support from senior professors and doctors who also took out a march from Malviya Bhawan to the statue of Malviyaji appealing to all to maintain peace on the campus.
BHU row: Raj Babbar along with 25 others arrested
Varanasi: Uttar Pradesh Congress president Raj Babbar along with former MLA Ajay Rai and 23 other were arrested when they were trying to hold a candle march against lathicharge on Kashi Hindu University (BHU). Police sources said here today that Mr Babbar was arrested 20 kilometers ahead of the spot where they had planned to initiate candle march. His supporters were arrested from Gilet market in cantonment area here. Sources said that former Congress MLA Ajay Rai was also arrested with his 20 supporters. More than 20 students were arrested after last night violence in university on saturday. (UNI)