The Aligarh Muslim University students have strongly protested against the Banaras Hindu University students' opposition to a Muslim teacher in their Sanskrit department. BHU students have been up in arms against the appointment of a Muslim assistant professor in the literature department of the faculty of Sanskrit Vidya Dharm Vigyan (SVDV), for almost a week now. "We condemn the senseless behaviour of those students who believe that non-Hindus cannot study or teach Sanskrit at BHU. This is a shameful mindset that must be corrected immediately before it takes a shape of the cancer," said a statement from the AMU Students' Union on Tuesday, adding sarcastically, "We humbly request you to manage some classes for these students to teach them about the diversity, pluralism and the constitutional nature of India."
In what appears to be a strongly-worded warning towards the BHU students, the AMUSU statement also added, "We will not remain silent if anything untoward happens to him. His life, liberty and safety must be considered as a matter of primary concern, and he must be able to teach in an amicable manner."
However, AMUSU President Mohammad Salman Imtiaz clarified the contents of the statement by explaining what it actually meant. He said, "We will conduct peaceful protests or agitation if he's not allowed to teach there. The constitution guarantees us the right to protest and speak out against something we do not deem fit."
The students at the BHU are insistently demanding the cancellation of the appointment of a 'non-Hindu'. The protestors, in a letter to the BHU vice-chancellor Rakesh Bhatnagar, have claimed that the varsity's founder, late Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya had termed the SVDV faculty as the heart of the varsity. "The stone plate of the faculty also contains the message that this institution is for cultural, religious, historical debates and discussion of Sanatan Hindus and their direct or indirect branches like Arya Samaj, Buddh, Jain, Sikh, etc," the letter pointed out. The protestors said that despite knowing all these facts, a 'non-Hindu' has been appointed, which seems to be a conspiracy. They allege that as the new appointment is against the soul and spirit of the institution, it should be cancelled immediately.
However, the BHU administration has made it clear that "the appointment has been made as per the University Grants Commission (UGC) rules and the BHU Act in a transparent manner based on the eligibility of the candidate".
