It was just recently that portrait of Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar was hung in one of the classrooms of the University College at Hampankatta in Karnataka. On Friday, June 10, this issue created a row and two student groups clashed on the campus.
This brought upon intervention from the Mangluru city police who shut the gate as activists from the National Student Union of India (NSUI) and Campus Front of India (CFI) tried to get inside in the evening.
It was the allegation of CFI activists that three students from their organisation were assaulted by Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) as Savarkar's portrait was removed. They claimed that three students, namely, Rifaz, Siddiq and Marzuk were assaulted days after the ABVP activists were made to remove the portrait by the college authorities.
N Shashi Kumar, Mangaluru city Police Commissioner informed TNIE that two counter complaints had been lodged from the students. While Principal Anasuya Rai shared that at around 1.30 pm, first, the group engaged in a verbal spat and then man-handled each other.
"We will take action after the inquiry as to who was involved in the clash. None of the students have complained to us," she said.
Meanwhile, NSUI and CFI activists attempted to gherao the campus as a protest against the alleged assault. They demanded that the college principal resign because of her inaction against ABVP activists.
Earlier, students affiliated with ABVP hung a portrait of Savarkar inside a classroom, above the blackboard. Pictures and videos of the same went viral on social media.
The Principal had informed that students did not take any permission before hanging the portraits and that the portraits were removed and students had apologised for the same.
