Pune University Prof, 5 students held over play based on Ramlila

Pune, February 3

A professor and five students of Pune University have been arrested for allegedly hurting religious sentiments by staging a play based on Ramlila that reportedly had objectionable dialogues and scenes, the police said.

Functionaries of the RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and students of the Pune University’s Lalit Kala Kendra had entered into a scuffle over the play staged on Friday evening.

The play by the Lalit Kala Kendra, officially called the Centre for Performing Arts, was based on the backstage banter of actors who perform various roles in Ramlila.

Based on a complaint by ABVP functionary Harshvardhan Harpude, a case was registered. The police have arrested Dr Pravin Bhole, the head of the department of the Lalit Kala Kendra, and students Bhavesh Patil, Jay Pednekar, Prathamesh Sawant, Rishikesh Dalvi and Yash Chikhle, he said. As per the FIR, in the play, a male artiste portraying Sita was shown smoking a cigarette and using abusive language. The FIR stated that when members of the ABVP objected to the play and stopped the performance, the artistes started heckling and assaulted them.