Page 49 - 29NOV2019E-4

EDUCATION

The Joint Action Committee urged andsocial amity. Ajay Rai is well known
the administration to allow Firoze face of Varanasi who contested and lost
Khan to teach Vedas and Sanskrit lit- parliamentary election against prime
erature in SVDV faculty. BHU admin- minister Narendra Modi.
istration must assure him adequate
protection and ensure his security.The he conduct of agitating Sanskrit
city of Banaras is identified with com- students on the support of ABVP
posite culture of communal harmony T has actually embarrassed top BJP
where Dara Shikoh taught Sanskrit leadership over this controversy par-
and translated Vedas into Persian lan- ticularly at a time when efforts to win
guage. Shanai maestro Bismillah Khan the confidence of Muslim community is
played shahnai at the doors of the Kashi gaining momentum. The Deputy Chief
Vishwanath temple and felt lucky and Minister of Uttar Pradesh Dr. Dinesh
proud of it. Sharma ultimately broke his silence at
Reminding the traditions and cul- last on the controversy and said, “Those
tural heritage of Kashi a delegation protesting against the appointment of
led by congress leader Ajay Rai met a Muslim teacher in Sanskrit faculty of
• Language no bar Firoze Khan became a the vice chancellor Rakesh Bhatnagar BHU were not doing right thing. Stu-
Sanskrit scholar and earned a doctorate and handed over a memorandum sup- dents can always question the appoint-
because of his love for the language porting appointment of Firoze Khan ment process whether the norms of
and the stand of the university. The merit were followed or not. However,
Firoze left Varanasi and went back to his delegation appealed the VC to uphold they cannot raise questions about the
native place Jaipur until the issue the constitutional values and resist the religion of a selected teacher.” “Subject
gets resolved. His mobile numbers pressure from communal elements teachers did not have any religion,”
remained switched off. determined to destroy our values he remarked.
The stand of SVDV students failed Shocked over the BHU protests BJP
to muster the support of majority com- MP Paresh Rawal tweeted, “Stunned
munity studying in BHU. It resulted in by the protest against professor Firoze
polarized reactions emerged to sup- Khan! what language has to do with
port of vice chancellor’s firm stand religion? Irony is professor Firoze has
upholding Firoze Khan’s appointment. done his masters and PhD in Sanskrit!!!
The Joint Action Committee of BHU For Heavens sake stop this god damn
students took out procession from idiocy!” “By same logic great singer late
Lanka gate to Ravidas gate to support Shri Mohammad Rafi ji should not have
Dr Firoze Khan on 20th, November and sung any BHAJANS and Naushad Saab
later held gate meeting opposing biased should not have composed it!!!!” the
attitude of Sanskrit students on this 64-year-old actor added.
issue who are bent upon to continue Rafi and Naushad, the singer-com-
the monopoly of a particular caste. poser duo, recorded many devotional
“We resolved that we will fight to immortal songs such as Man Tarpat Hari
protect plurality and inclusive char- Firoze Khan, who holds Darshan Ko Aaj from Baiju Bawra (1952)
acter of our societyand will not accept a doctorate in Sanskrit, and Madhuban mein Radhika nache re
discrimination in the university on the from Kohinoor (1960).”
basis of caste, creed,sex or religion. The was appointed at SVDV Surprisingly Banaras being a center
teachings of Mahamana Madan Mohan on November 6. Since for cultivation of secular values has
Malviya also taught us the same that shown changing signs of intolerance.
the India does not belong to only Hin- then, the protesting The nation recognised services of Mus-
dus but Muslims, Sikhs, Jains and Chris- lims for enriching Sanskrit language
tians.” “We have resolved to welcome students have by awarding Padamshri to Dr Mohd
Professor Firoze Khan on the land of boycotted classes Haneef Khan Shastri of Rashtriya San-
Kabirdas,” vowed Dhananjay Tripathi, skrit Sansthanand Nahid Abidi of Kashi
Vikas Singh, Dr Lenin Raghuvanshi, and staged dharna Vidya Peeth. The new phenomena puz-
Priyesh Pandey, Dipak Rajguru, Raj outside the vice- zles the society at large.
Abhishek, Tabassum, Tausif Qureshi
and many others in the meeting. chancellor’s office LETTERS@TEHELKA.COM

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