Posters against Banaras Hindu University Vice-Chancellor Rakesh Bhatnagar has surfaced in various parts of Varanasi on Friday, demanding his resignation. It is being alleged that the VC is against the Hindi language. Posters stating BHU-VC Hindi Virodhi’ (anti-Hindi BHU VC) with Rakesh Bhatnagar’s caricature have been pasted at Maldahiya in Varanasi and certain other locations.
Varanasi: Posters stating ‘BHU VC Hindi Virodhi’ & demanding his resignation seen in parts of the city. Recently Banaras Hindu University (BHU) admn had allegedly not interviewed candidates for the post of Asst Professor,who had opted for Hindi as their language for communication pic.twitter.com/aGEGcvVEG0
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This came a day after it was alleged that the BHU administration refused to interview candidates for the post of Assistant Professor, who had opted for Hindi as their preferred language for communication.
The Banaras Hindu University is currently in the process of appointing 200 teachers.
According to a report by Dainik Jagran, one such candidate appearing for the interview for the post of Assistant Professor, who also happens to be an ex-student of the university was denied an interview when he had insisted to speak in Hindi language and had refused to answer questions in English.
On January 3, Dr Karn Singh was interviewed for the post of Assistant Professor in the Department of Ancient History of the Faculty of Arts. Singh alleged that the Vice-Chancellor pressurised him to answer in English only during the interview.
Singh stated that while he remained adamant to communicate in Hindi and also cited that freedom of expression is the right of every individual, the Vice-Chancellor was equally hell-bent that he cannot allow him to communicate in Hindi. The VC asked Singh to leave if he was not willing to speak in English, alleged Singh.
The aspirants, miffed with this discrimination also staged a protest at Swatantrata Bhavan, BHU, on Friday. At the venue of Swatantrata Bhavan, where the two-day BHU International Alumni meet began today, aspirants were seen raising slogans and displaying posters that read Hindi ke samman me (in respect to the Hindi language), BHU maidan me, Hindi is our mother tongue, discrimination with Hindi-speaking students will not be tolerated.
Meanwhile, BHU public relation officer Dr Rajesh Singh rejected all the allegations calling them baseless. “All allegations are baseless. All rules and regulations have been followed during the interview for the post of assistant professors,” Dr Singh said, adding that a transparent process has been followed in the interview and appointment. There has been no discrimination with anyone.
The university administration has clarified that since they have been granted the ‘Institute of Eminence’ status, and aspire to place BHU in the global ranking of best institutions, they expect that their faculty are able to communicate well in the global language (English).
Prior to this, the BHU administration had faced criticism for flouting rules and appointing a non-Hindu person as an assistant professor in the SVDV faculty to teach the Vedic rituals and practices of Hinduism to students.
Then too, the Vice-Chancellor came under fire for not handling the situation well. Students had alleged that the faculty head had favoured his own pupil over several other aspirants for a post which was reserved for the OBC candidates.
