Controversy Sparks In BHU As VC Girish Tripathy Says Government Belongs To RSS, Harsh Rules Prevail In Campus

BHU VC Girish Tripathy Remark Sparks Controversy

Banaras Hindu University (BHU) joined the group of the esteemed institutions of the nation where revolts against any violation of fundamental rights were seen in the near past including JNU, FTII, NIT Srinagar. BHU has seen the suppression of democratic rights recently after the appointment of Girish Tripathy, who proudly boasts of his 40-year association with RSS, as the Vice-Chancellor of the institution, is rigorously headed towards saffronisation. To dissolve the ideology of RSS into the institution, the fundamental and democratic rights have been crushed where the teachers and the students face a sorry situation and are vulnerable to an improper educational atmosphere and an RSS dictatorship within. The VC of BHU — which houses 40,000 students, the largest in Asia — expelled the renowned Ramon Magsaysay award winner Sandeep Pandey for not aligning with the Sangh’s views. The imposed stronghold of the Sangh doesn’t end just yet, as when the VC was questioned about using the university campus for endorsing RSS, he gave a rather not befitting reply: “When the Indian government itself is of the RSS, there is nothing wrong in establishing an RSS shakha in BHU.”

Every citizen of the nation believes in the fact that any educational institution must be free from any political involvements or being available for fulfilment of any political visions, surely that is the last thing which matters in BHU. Arresting the thoughts or any right of students is a practice which needs to be condemned strongly. Ruthless and forceful imposition of RSS principles in BHU has many examples to back it up. Rampant favouritism of teachers from preferably only the upper caste of society wherein the suppressed caste seats for teachers remain empty.

A 24-hour library as promised by the prospectus of BHU saw no implementation and moreover, the students who stood against it were beaten up by 1,000 police personnel and suspended for two academic sessions. More than 20 students who raised their voice, were framed with serious criminal charges against them. It is an oxymoron even to think of gender equality in such hostile conditions favouring saffronisation and establishment of foothold of RSS as the rights of the women for whom we have grown so active about recently were the ones to be stamped out the most.

The female students are made to sign an affidavit while they enroll themselves which forbids them to indulge in any sort of protest and if found so, will be restricted from the hostel as a consequence. Moreover, the girl’s hostel is denied of WiFi connection whereas the boys hostel is not. Girls have to enter hostel no later than 8 pm and are not to be served non-vegetarian food and are not permitted to talk on cellphones after 10 on the campus. The females are not allowed to use the library after 10 as the respected VC considers it to be immoral for them to do so.

Participation in any socio-economic activities is banned for female students. Girls are rebuked from wearing short dresses and skirts. The sheer crushing of fundamental right is practised with full fledge which portrays VC as no less than an RSS influenced dictator. When the students asked for a cyber library, the request was, of course, denied explaining that students might use it for pornography or maybe the VC is not familiar with the firewalls. Hanging out of boys and girls together on campus is restricted as VC announces it to be immoral and if any student found practising any such actions will be awarded Category-A punishment which, not hard to guess, is a suspension.

Despite being reprimanded from conducting any protests the students have joined hands to form a committee against the thrashing of age old views and have taken it to social media even as the tags like #SaveBHUfromRSS and #StopCampusSexism were trending and a big lot supported the improper functioning of the BHU.

Open advocation of the imposition of Sangh’s ideology in the campus shows how fearless and easy it is to demonstrate any educational institution as a political platform and practising sexism to demolish the very soul of education platform. Gender disparity and altering university policies to support any political or social group can do only harm which is hard to be undone. It is depressing to know that we, as a nation, whose educational system is much talked about are so vulnerable as to allow any nonsense, impractical and unprofessional ideology rule us in such way.

Girish Tripathy, the VC has disappointed us with his orthodox methods to run an organisation and misogynist thinking standards. Any act against the wrongdoings of such extents are sure to gain momentum and they must for we cannot stand to see BHU turn into an RSS Sangh Institution.