Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) members attacked an assistant professor in Uttar Pradesh’s Aligarh, accusing him of ‘love jihad’ and sending ‘objectionable content’ to a student’s phone.
The assistant professor teaches English at the Shri Varshney College. He was attacked on the college campus on May 30.
ABVP members, including female students, surrounded the professor and physically attacked him, raising slogans of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” and “Phool nahi chingari hain, hum Bharat ki nari hain.”
On information, the police reached the spot and rescued him.
According to ABVP leader Baldev Chaudhary, the assistant professor specifically targeted Hindu female students, offering them academic favours and help with their PhDs. He claimed the complainant, a former student of the college, had earlier approached the police, the SP City office, and the Women’s Commission.
Aligarh Superintendent of Police (City) Mrigank Shekhar Pathak has confirmed that a complaint was registered by the former student at Gandhi Park Police Station. She alleged that the professor sent her ‘objectionable videos and messages.’
The police have seized the assistant professor’s laptop and phone and have begun investigations. Pathak said the college has also formed an internal inquiry team and that the CCTV footage of the assault is being reviewed as part of the investigation.
However, no arrests have yet been reported in connection with the assault.
The principal of Sri Varshney College, Prof. Brijesh Kumar, confirmed he was approached by the students who demanded the assistant professor’s suspension, but did not specify reasons.
The principal later found out that the issue was six months old and no formal complaint had been registered with the college.
He further stated that no suspension will be carried out without a formal enquiry into the matter and that the college can only investigate if the complainant is a current student. If not, it becomes a police matter.
‘Love jihad’ is a conspiracy theory that accuses Muslim men of intentionally and strategically alluring non-Muslim women with the intent to marry and “convert them” to Islam as part of an “Islamisation project”.
