Angered by ‘Congress tweet’ on BHU, students demand apology

VARANASI:Angered by an alleged Congress tweet that the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) had lost its credibility, a section of students and teachers of the university on Wednesday sought an apology from the party.

A group of students staged a demonstration on the university campus, saying their protest will continue till the Congress apologised.

The students claimed the Congress, on its official twitter handle, posted, “The BHU has lost its credibility as an open and plural university, it is now simply a tool to promote Hindutva ideology. If this is the kind of development the Modi government wants to promote in India, we as a country must outright reject it and him.”

The comment led to anger in a section of the students, teachers and non-teaching staff.

“The Congress has insulted the BHU with such a tweet. The party must apologise,” said Patanjali, an M Phil student at the department of political science.

He said the university did not need a certificate from the political party.

Other students Arun Chaube and Gangesh Jha backed the demand.

Prof Kaushal Kishore Mishra, who teaches political science at the university, said: “It appears the Congress doesn’t have any idea of the structure, nature and philosophy of the BHU. This is a national university. The BHU equally respects students of all castes, creeds and communities. Students are taught without any discrimination.”

The Congress should not drag a central university like BHU into mean politics for its vested interests, he said.

He said the party should apologise as the tweet had angered teachers, students and nonteaching staff.

The BHU, which had given a number of scientists, professors and visionaries to the nation, was a credible institution, he said.