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SPPU approves panel report on ‘Ram Leela’ incident
The fact-finding committee formed by SPPU to probe the incidents related to the staging of a play based on the ‘Ram Leela’ at the Lalit Kala Kendra submitted its report
PUNE: The fact-finding committee formed by the Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) administration to probe the incidents related to the staging of a play based on the ‘Ram Leela’ at the Lalit Kala Kendra has submitted its report to the SPPU management council, and the same has been approved. A committee is now being formed to take action based on the findings of the report.
The fact-finding committee was headed by retired district judge Shrikrishna Panse and comprised actor Praveen Tarde; principal professor Devidas Waydande; SPPU senate members Vinayak Ambekar and Dr Jyoti Bhakere; principal Kranti Deshmukh; and university in-charge registrar Vijay Khare as members. After seven to eight meetings, a detailed investigation, and statements of the stakeholders in this case, the final report was submitted by the committee at the end of April.
A committee member on condition of anonymity said, “Our last meeting of committee members was held on April 19 after which, the final report was completed and submitted to the SPPU administration by the end of April. We have given the facts and conclusions of the entire incident, and it was found that the department did not handle the incident properly.”
Khare said, “The report submitted by the fact-finding committee was approved in the SPPU management council yesterday and it is being forwarded to the vice-chancellor for appropriate action to be taken. For this, a new committee is being formed for action to be taken as per the recommendations made in this report.”
A professor and five students of the SPPU’s prestigious Lalit Kala Kendra were arrested for allegedly hurting religious sentiments by staging a play based on the ‘Ram Leela’ which reportedly had controversial scenes and dialogues. Police action came a day after a scuffle broke out inside the SPPU campus at the Lalit Kala Kendra on February 2 evening between students and Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activists over the play enacted at the centre as part of a competition. The head of department of the Lalit Kala Kendra and a few other students were arrested.
