BBAU students protest proposal for gaushala on campus

This was just a proposal. There are too many stray cattle on the campus. Hence, we thought to propose that the govt helps us establish a gaushala on the campus PROF SANJAY SINGH, vice-chancellor BBAU

LUCKNOW : Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University (BBAU), Lucknow’s proposal to set up gaushala (dairy) on the campus has not gone down well with the students, who want the proposal to be scrapped. Around an acre of land has been allotted for establishing the gaushala between the university health centre and the pond, according to an official document of BBAU in February this year.

Members of the Students Federation of India (SFI) of the BBAU unit are angry with the whole idea of gaushala on the campus. “Students need prayogshala (labs) and not gaushala (cowshed) on the campus,” said one of the students, who want the proposal to be scrapped.

Abdul Wahab, undergraduate student and vice-president of SFI, said the present university administration is trying to promote right-wing ideologies on campus rather than taking up the issues of the students.

“SFI believes that by establishing a gaushala, the university will only push ideas of the rightwing party. This will only create a rift between students of different organisations, and such things are against Ambedkar’s ideas,” Wahab said. He added the university should improve labs and canteens rather than establish gaushala. BBAU’s SFI unit was also served a show-cause notice by the varsity authorities for raising this issue, Wahab said. Basant Kanaujiya, who is pursuing PhD in history, said, “The university should rather strengthen infrastructure.”

However, BBAU vice-chancellor Prof Sanjay Singh said it was just a proposal. “This was just a proposal. There has been no progress in it till now. There are too many stray cattle inside the campus. They destroy our lawns and garden. Hence, we thought to propose the UP government to help us establish a gaushala on campus,” the V-C added.

University spokesperson Rachna Gangwar too denied any project of gaushala taking off on the campus.