Social media photos of ‘defaced’ chapel door at St Stephen’s College spark row

The chapel door was allegedly defaced with the slogan “Mandir Yahin Banega” (Temple will be built here) and the Cross placed before the graveyard written over with “I am going to hell”.

After the pictures of an allegedly defaced chapel door of St Stephen’s college and a Cross inside the premises surfaced on social media on Saturday, allegations and counter-allegations flew thick and fast across the campus. The Delhi Police late on Saturday dismissed it as “rumours”.

Delhi police dismissed the controversial scribbles in St Stephen’s College as rumours. (Sonu Mehta/HT File Photo)

While the college campus was abuzz with students and teachers allegedly sharing photos of the defaced chapel door and Cross, most said they have only seen the photos.

The chapel door was allegedly defaced with the slogan “Mandir Yahin Banega” (Temple will be built here) and the Cross placed before the graveyard written over with “I am going to hell”, Congress-backed National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) alleged.

However, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad said it looks like a deliberate attempt to polarise the so-called minority communities and create tensions.

Nandita Narain, who teaches Mathematics at the college, said, “many of the students and colleagues have seen that graffiti. I haven’t seen it though. But the timing of what has happened is crucial as minority institutions are under attack.”

The college principal John Varghese is on leave and hence was not available for a comment.

Renish Abraham, the college bursar, who is the in-charge in the absence of the principal, did not respond to call and text message seeking his comment on the issue. Delhi police said they have not received any complaint from the college on the issue.

NSUI has demanded an inquiry into incident and punishment of the culprits to ensure a peaceful and safe environment inside the university.