Ruckus in LU during AISA seminar
BRAWL ABVP found topic objectionable, misbehaved with keynote speaker Kavita Krishnan of AIPWA
LUCKNOW: Activists of All India Students Association (AISA) and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) clashed with each other during a seminar held at Lucknow University on Saturday. The situation turned ugly when ABVP members misbehaved with Kavita Krishnan, secretary of All India Progressive Women’s Association, who was one of the keynote speakers invited by AISA to speak at the seminar.
Sources said that AISA had organised a seminar on ‘Who is Afraid of Love’. This was unacceptable to the ABVP members who reached the venue and registered their protest. Sensing trouble, the LU proctorial team reached the spot but could not control the warring groups from exchanging blows. LU officials said that the university had denied permission to host the seminar as it was felt that the subject would spark a contro- versy and may lead to law and order problem.
Despite denial of permission, AISA decided to go ahead with the seminar and organised the gathering outside the social work department. As soon as ABVP members came to know about the seminar in progress, they rushed to the venue and created ruckus. They tore the banner and entered into a heated argument with AISA members. The angry ABVP members later manhandled AISA workers when some of them tried to record their act on cell phones. This led to a brawl.
The ABVP members also tried to snatch Kavita Krishnan’s cell phone when she allegedly attempted to record their outburst. Later, police were called to control the situation.
AISA members alleged that the LU administration had earlier granted permission for the seminar but later buckled under ABVP pressure and cancelled it.
Apart from Kavita Krishnan, a few others were also invited to take part in the seminar. But after LU denied permission, they refused to participate.
LU administration ha s issued notice to three students. Organiser Sudhanshu Bajpai was served show cause notice, asking him to explain how he could hold the seminar when permission was denied. Two other students, Ajit Pratap Singh and Suraj Pratap of ABVP were served notice for creating ruckus on the campus.
A proctorial board member said that all other students involved in hooliganism would be identified and would be severely punished. A police complaint was also registered in this connection. Later, Kavita Krishnan told the media that this incident on the campus was very shameful. There was no space for freedom of speech and expression on LU campus, she said.