Well-known Jamia Prof’s presence at outside Jamia event triggers ruckus
A well-known Professor of Jamia Millia Islamia has grabbed headlines after a seminar in which he was invited to attend was “cancelled” following members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) objected to his participation, according to media reports.
The seminar was planned at Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda (MSU) on Wednesday.
While ABVP members argued with Mehta over the invitation extended to Meenai, warning that persons with “anti-India mindset” should not be invited to the University, officials of the Communications Department of MSU said the seminar was held as scheduled, reported IE.
MS University’s Faculty of Social Work was in midst of a controversy after student leaders linked to the ABVP, the right-wing supported student outfit, protested over a professor from Jamia, New Delhi being invited to a function, reported TOI.
Zubair Meenai, the Professor, is “a communist and known for making anti-India comments,” claimed a leader of the ABVP, a student organisation affiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, reported the PTI.
But soon after the event started, ABVP members reached the spot and started shouting the slogan ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’, compelling the organisers to cancel the event, reported the news agency.
“Meenai is a communist and known for making anti-India comments. He even made such comments against (late RSS ideologue) Nanaji Deshmukh. How come the Faculty did not find a worthy academician in Gujarat to speak on the subject that they had to invite him? ABVP will never tolerate such persons who have anti-India mindset,” said Dhruv Parekh, the ABVP’s MSU unit president.
The faculty had organised a function on Wednesday to celebrate its 74th Foundation Day and for this, it had organised a session ‘Respecting diversity through joint social action’ at the Dr IG Patel seminar hall, reported TOI.
Later, they questioned faculty dean professor Bhavna Mehta over the presence of Zubair Meenai at the function. The faculty officials moved the invited guest to a safer location till the crowd dispersed, it reported.
