Pune: Activists of right-wing organisation Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) allegedly vandalised a Bangladesh-themed food stall at a cultural event held at a private university in Pune and set fire to the neighbouring country’s national flag, triggering controversy.
The incident took place at the MIT World Peace University (MIT-WPU) campus in Kothrud on Tuesday evening, where food stalls run by students from different countries had been set up as part of the World Cultural Festival (WCF). A senior police officer said the disturbance occurred after the event concluded.
Pokale, registrar, MIT-WPU said preliminary information suggested that unauthorised persons had entered the campus premises. “The university is in the process of filing a police complaint,” he said.
He said WCF is an annual event aimed at celebrating cultural diversity and offering a platform to international students, adding that similar programmes are routinely held at educational institutions across the city. “The university remains committed to maintaining a safe, respectful and inclusive environment for all,” he said.
“We have received a complaint regarding the incident at MIT-WPU involving vandalism of the Bangladesh food stall. The FIR has not been filed yet, as our investigation is still ongoing. We are in the process of gathering statements from witnesses, reviewing available video footage, and coordinating with the college authorities to understand how the group entered the campus and what exactly transpired.” said senior inspector Sandip Deshmane of Kothrud Police Station.
{{/usCountry}}“We have received a complaint regarding the incident at MIT-WPU involving vandalism of the Bangladesh food stall. The FIR has not been filed yet, as our investigation is still ongoing. We are in the process of gathering statements from witnesses, reviewing available video footage, and coordinating with the college authorities to understand how the group entered the campus and what exactly transpired.” said senior inspector Sandip Deshmane of Kothrud Police Station.
{{/usCountry}}A BJYM office-bearer acknowledged the involvement of the organisation’s members. Pune city BJYM president Dushyant Mohol claimed that the incident followed a disagreement over the display of the Bangladesh national flag at the food stall.
“Some local students objected to the flag being displayed, citing Bangladesh’s current anti-India position. When the students at the stall refused to remove it and instead put up another flag, it led to anger among local students. After we learnt about this, our members vandalised the stall and burnt the flag,” Mohol said.
A video showing a group of men damaging the stall and burning the Bangladesh flag while raising slogans has since gone viral on social media.
Separately, on Wednesday, BJYM activists allegedly painted the Bangladesh flag on a city road and raised slogans against the neighbouring country, police said.