SFI protests ‘religious propaganda’ at Himachal Pradesh University

Shimla, April 9

The Himachal Pradesh University unit of the Student Federation of India (SFI) here today staged a protest against the organising of “religious propaganda” and religious activities in the university as well as installing religious flags on the university campus.

Delegates of the student body demanded that the university administration and the Election Commission take stern action against those who were allegedly trying to spoil the atmosphere of the university by carrying out such activities on the campus.

During the protest, the SFI gheraoed the vehicle of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor. The student activists were stopped by the police during this agitation.

The student body later gheraoed the office of the Dean of Student Welfare (DSW) over the issue.

SFI (HPU Unit) vice-president Shahbaz said the interference of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was continuously

increasing in the university.

“For the past few years, people associated with the RSS in the university were being recruited in an unfair manner. An RTI report revealed that 70 per cent of the teachers of the university were ineligible. People associated with the RSS were being recruited in the university as non-teaching staff on contract basis,” he added.

“The lines were crossed today, when the RSS put up religious flags and posters on the campus,” the student body VC said.

“The SFI strongly opposes programmes of any particular religion in government educational institutions and will not allow such programmes to be held in the university under any circumstances. Students of every religion study in the university. Hence, it is absolutely wrong to promote any particular religion or to organise such programmes,” he added.

SFI (HPU unit) secretary Sunny Seakta said organising such programmes in the university was a violation of the secular values of the country.

“Article 28 of the Constitution clearly states that no religious activity can be carried out in any public educational institution. On what basis are the people from the RSS and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad carrying out religious propaganda and activities in the university,” he asked.

The SFI warned of mobilising students and launching a mass movement against the university authorities if no action was initiated in this regard.

‘Practice unconstitutional’

Article 28 of the Constitution clearly states that no religious activity can be carried out in any public educational institution. On what basis are the people from the RSS and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad carrying out religious propaganda and activities in the university? — Sunny Seakta, Secretary, sFI (HPU)