BHU deputy chief proctor booked for removing RSS flag from campus

A case under various sections has been registered at the Dehat Kotwali police station against Banaras Hindu University (BHU) south campus Deputy Chief Proctor, Kiran Damle for removing a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) flag from its south campus in Uttar Pradesh's Mirzapur district and outraging religious feelings, officials said on Thursday.

The case against Damle has been filed based on the complaint of RSS office bearer Chandramohan and investigations are on, he said. On Tuesday, Damle had removed the RSS flag and had taken it away while the members of the RSS and ABVP were practising yoga in a 'shakha' on the campus, Singh said. Chandramohan, the complainant and head of RSS’s Mirzapur district wing, said, "She disrespected the saffron flag and said the shakha can’t be held there. Damle verbally abused Swayamsevak Neeraj Dwivedi and others present there. She also said that despite the country accepting the Supreme Court’s verdict on Ayodhya, she does not." He added that around 25 people, including the varsity students, attend the shakha at the playground on the BHU South campus daily, according to a report by Indian Express.

Damle had said that the flag will not be allowed but members can go on with their yoga practice. Terming it as disrespect of the flag, RSS members had staged a dharna at the administrative block demanding that they be allowed to continue their yoga sessions with the flag, Singh said.

Demanding her removal, the protestors had also said that Damle had misbehaved with students. Damle later resigned from the post and also apologised for removing the flag. The deputy chief proctor had said in view of the prevailing atmosphere she had asked for the removal of the flag and since it was not done, she handed it to her assistant attendant Satish.

"It was not a show of disrespect to the flag and the students were not stopped from doing yoga. I have been on the south campus for the past 10 years and it is my duty to maintain proper atmosphere," she had said, adding that since 'shakhas' were not held on the campus, she had asked them not to organise it.

Her resignation has been sent to proctor O.P Singh. The protestors got the support of local MLA Ratnakar Misra and RSS 'sah prant karvah' Sohan who reached the spot soon after. Meanwhile, SP Dharamvir Singh said removal of the flag has hurt the sentiments of 'swayam sevaks' and Damle should instead have explained and prevailed upon them for getting it removed.

Reacting on the incident, local Congress leader and former MLA, Lalitesh Pati Tripathi said that 'shakhas' should not be held on the campus of educational institutions. "Moreover, why are the outsiders including RSS office bearers interfering in the affairs of the university," Tripathi asked.