A stone structure inside the University of Hyderabad (UoH) campus was found converted into a “Ram Mandir” on Sunday on the occasion of Ram Navami and student unions alleged that it was an attempt by the right-wing to “saffron” the campus. Group.
The Ambedkar Students Association (ASA) and the Students Federation of India (SFI) accused the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) of allegedly trying to “incite” non-Hindu students. Meanwhile, the ABVP officially distanced itself from the controversial structure and called it religious freedom of students, while it held normal Ram Navami celebrations on the campus.
On Sunday, a rock painted saffron was found near Men’s Hostel-F and the office of the Chief Warden. Some pictures of Lord Rama with saffron flag were found inside a rock under a tree. The rocks also sported the symbols ‘Om’ and the swastika.
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The UOH Students’ Union appealed to the university administration to issue a notification or circular against the establishment of any such permanent religious structure. When contacted, the official spokesperson of the university, Prof Kanchan Mallick, said that after the matter came to the notice, the administration demanded the removal of the structure.
UOH students union president Abhishek Nandan said: “We have shared our grievances and appealed to the vice-chancellor to whitewash the structure and remove the photographs. Even after a lapse of two days, no action has been initiated by the administration.
Stating that the ABVP shared its views with the university administration, Shravan B Raj, PhD scholar at the university and national co-convener (central university) of ABVP, blamed the Left student bodies and Ambedkarites for creating unnecessary controversy.
“ABVP and Shri Ram Navami Utsav Samiti organized Ram Navami celebrations at Gurbaksh Singh Maidan after taking due permission. ABVP has no relation with the temple as it is already in existence. Other festivals like Bonalu have been celebrated for many years by non-teaching staff and others in the temple. Some students cleaned the place and offered prayers. If a student wishes to follow his faith or belief, he is at liberty to do so.
Gopi Swamy, the convener of the ASA and general secretary of the UOH student union, thought of the need to create a permanent religious structure on the campus. “We have no problem with students organizing religious festivals. This is a right given in the constitution. Students of different religions and beliefs live on campus and what is the need of having a temple? Such religious structure will create unnecessary problems,” Swamy said.
Terming it as an attempt to incite against other religions and saffronise the campus, Swamy said students from all backgrounds should be made to feel safe on the campus. “ABVP, with outside support of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and” Bharatiya Janata Party ,BJP), have become aggressive ever since the students returned to the campus after the pandemic,” alleged Nandan.
He alleged that the ABVP has put up an RSS shakha in the campus and there are constant talks of slogans of ‘Hindu Rashtra’ and ‘Jai Shri Ram’ on the walls. Nandan said, “Since they cannot criticize the central government and cannot raise issues related to students, they are trying to create ruckus in the campus in the backdrop of religious festivals being held in other parts of the country.”
Raj, on the other hand, says that an RSS shakha is organized at the Vivekananda Facilitation Center in the campus and wonders what is wrong with it. “What’s the problem if students gather for an hour every day and pray, discuss the issues of the nation, sing nationalist songs, and play some sports?” He asked.
Meanwhile, on Monday, the UOH Students’ Union held a protest condemning the violence on the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus in Delhi over non-vegetarian food being served in a hostel mess on Ram Navami. The ABVP held another protest at the same time, which was just a few meters away from the student union’s protest.