E-Paper
Professor seen offering namaz on college campus in Aligarh, panel to probe
BJP Yuva Morcha leaders led by Amit Goswami, vice president of the Morcha’s Mahanagar unit, reached Sri Varshney College in Aligarh on Friday after a video of a faculty member offering ‘namaz’ on the college campus went viral.
The principal of Shri Varshney College in Aligarh has constituted a fact-finding committee to probe the incident of ‘namaz’ having been offered on the campus by an assistant professor of the law department earlier this week.
Meanwhile, youth wing leaders of BJP in Aligarh have demanded police action against the assistant professor within 48 hours, alleging that he had deliberately attempted to cause differences on the college campus which was meant for education.
BJP Yuva Morcha leaders led by Amit Goswami, vice president of the Morcha’s Mahanagar unit, reached Sri Varshney College in Aligarh on Friday after a video of a faculty member offering ‘namaz’ on the college campus went viral.
“We have informed the police, handed over a complaint and given 48 hours for initiating action against the assistant professor who had offered ‘namaz’ on the college premises. Police assured us they would take action and register a case in connection with the matter soon,” said Goswami on Saturday.
“It was wrong on the part of the assistant professor to offer ‘namaz’ on the college campus which is meant for imparting education. Such conduct by a teacher will cause differences among students. The college campus is not meant for propagating one’s religious beliefs,” he said.
‘Such provocative acts might trigger recital of Hanuman Chalisa by students. We have talked to the college administration and were informed that a show cause notice had been issued to the assistant professor by the college authorities,” said Goswami.
“This is not a stray incident but part of a well-planned conspiracy to defame the present BJP government in the state,” added the BJP youth wing leader.
Professor AK Gupta, principal of Sri Varshney College in Aligarh, returned on Saturday after leave and informed that a fact-finding committee had been constituted to probe the matter and submit its report.
“This committee will apprise us of the facts related to the matter of ‘namaz’ offered by Prof SR Khalid, assistant professor in the law faculty of our college. The committee will suggest measures so that such incidents do not recur,” he said.
“We are of the firm view that education centres should be kept away from such activities as students come here for learning. We are not going to allow recurrence of such acts on our campus,” said Gupta.
