BHU unrest: Report blames admin for violence, oppn demands VC's sacking

A report by the Varanasi Commissioner on the violence in the BHU, submitted on Tuesday, has blamed the varsity administration for Saturday's violence and baton-charge on protesting students.

The opposition subsequently demanded the Vice Chancellor be sacked.

In his report sent to Chief Secretary Rajiv Kumar, Varanasi Commissioner Nitin Gokarn has said that Banaras Hindu University (BHU) did not deal with the victim's complaint in a sensitive manner and failed to handle the situation on time.

According to the report, the biggest fault in this case is that of the administration and such a controversy would not have taken place had they handled the matter appropriately.

Meanwhile, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati said that due to wrong policies and indifference of the state's BJP government, the BHU is bearing the brunt of police excesses, violence and arson.

In a statement, she also accused Vice Chancellor Girish Chandra Tripathi of behaving in an "arrogant and dictatorial manner" and blamed him for the situation.

State Congress President Raj Babbar, who is staying in Varanasi, demanded Tripathi's resignation.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi's slogan of 'Beti padhao, beti bachao' has changed to 'Beti padhao, beti pitwao' in Uttar Pradesh. The VC should be immediately removed as impartial investigation cannot be done if he continue sit the chair," Babbar said.

Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) workers staged a dharna in front of Gandhi statue in Lucknow's GPO park, shouted slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and demanded removal of guilty police officers as well as the Vice Chancellor.

However, Tripathi has denied that the students were baton-charged in the campus. He said that action was taken against those who hurled petrol bombs and pelted stones, and attempted to burn the university's property.

He said that he met with the victim and her friends twice.

The BHU administration has decided to conduct a judicial inquiry into the incident.

The investigation would be conducted by a team headed by V.K. Dixit, a retired judge of the Allahabad High Court.

In Lucknow, state Power Minister and government's spokesman Shrikant Tripathi, after emerging from a Cabinet meet, said that the government has ordered a judicial inquiry into the incidents.

However, seconds later, he retracted and said that the local officials would only conduct an inquiry into the incident. He also blamed "outside elements" for the violence.

"Some people are trying to vitiate BHU's atmosphere. The government will not let such people succeed and anti-social elements would be strictly dealt with. The police has started identifying such people and there would be strict action against them soon," Sharma said.

In Delhi, Minister of State for Communications Manoj Sinha, who is an alumnus of BHU, said that a baton charge on students, especially female students, is totally unacceptable and strong action would be taken against those involved in the BHU incident.

"Lathicharge on any student, especially girl students, is not permissible. Strong action will be taken against those involved in this incident," said Sinha, who studied in IIT-BHU and and a Lok Sabha Member from the adjoining Ghazipur constituency, on the sidelines of an event here.

Officials linked to the BHU administration said that 65 more sensitive areas on the campus have been identified where CCTV cameras would be installed. In the first phase, the CCTV cameras would be installed at the entrance of the campus and outside the women's hostel. Women are also being included in security.

Arrangements would be made for preventing the entry of vehicles on the routes surrounding the women's hostel. The street lights would be fixed and new street lights installed on the campus.