BHU Students Protest the Organizing of an Iftar Party on Campus; Burn the VC’s Effigy

*Paromita Das

A similar situation has now erupted on the campus of Varanasi’s Banaras Hindu University (BHU) over an Iftar party, days after a violent brawl broke out between two groups of students at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) over Ram Navami celebrations. This came after BHU Vice-Chancellor K Jain hosted an iftar party for the university’s Muslim students and staff.

However, a group of students affiliated with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) objected to such an event, claiming that such events are not traditionally held on campus. The students also objected to the Vice-attendance Chancellors at the party.
Protesting students added that the Iftar party was organized to please Muslims, claiming that VC Jain never had time for other festivals.

They also staged a march and burned an effigy of the BHU Vice-Chancellor to demonstrate their opposition to his decision.

उत्तर प्रदेश: BHU में कुलपति द्वारा इफ्तार पार्टी के आयोजन पर छात्रों ने हंगामा कर कुलपति का पुतला फूंका।

एक छात्र ने बताया, "विश्वविद्यालय में पिछले 5 साल से इफ्तार का आयोजन नहीं हुआ। पहली बार इसका आयोजन हुआ। विश्वविद्यालय द्वारा मजहबी रंग देने का प्रयास हो रहा है।" (27.04) pic.twitter.com/kYrXQon7YB

— ANI_HindiNews (@AHindinews) April 28, 2022

Students accuse BHU VC of harboring a “anti-Hindu” mentality.
While speaking to ANI, one of the protesting students claimed that the vice-chancellor was attempting to give the institution a religious flavor. “For the past five years, there has been no Iftar at the university. It was the first time it had been organised. The university is making efforts to give it a religious flavour “, he explained.
Another student, Ashirvaad Dubey, claimed that the VC chose Mahila Mahavidyalaya to organize the event in order to further polarize women students and create a schism with his anti-Hindu mindset.

“The VC has no time to listen to student problems, but he does have time for the Iftar party.” During the Navaratri fasts, the previous VC GC Tripathi used to provide ‘Phalahar (fruits).’ Not only has the new VC discouraged this practice, but he is now attempting to impose this new tradition. This is an anti-Hindu initiative, which we strongly condemn. If the VC needs Iftar, he can go to AMU or Jamia; he is not welcome here,” he added.

Notably, on Wednesday, an iftar party was held in the Mahila Mahavidyalay on the BHU campus, which was disrupted by protesting students.

रमज़ान के पाक महीने में आज काशी हिन्दू विश्वविद्यालय स्थित महिला महाविद्यालय में रोज़ा इफ्तार का आयोजन किया गया, जिसमें कुलपति प्रो. सुधीर कुमार जैन भी शामिल हुए। कुलपति जी के साथ महिला महाविद्यालय के रोज़ादार शिक्षक, शिक्षिकाओं व छात्राओं ने अपना रोज़ा खोला व इफ्तार की। #Ramadan pic.twitter.com/xoca4NtSFM

— BHU Official (@bhupro) April 27, 2022