A ruckus ensued in the Government Jagannathpur Polytechnic college in Jharkhand on April 2, 2022 (Saturday), as students got together to celebrate ‘Nav Samvatsar’, the first day of Hindu New Year. According to the Hindi daily Dainik Jagran, two students namely Amrit and Ghanshyam were suspended and one other student was rusticated after the principal found them chanting Jai Shri Ram and Bharat Mata Jai slogans to commemorate the occasion. As a form of punishment, nearly 500 Hindu students were also denied food.
Ashwini Srivastava, a Twitter user, tweeted about the incident. Tagging CM Hemant Soren in his Tweet, Ashwini Srivastava stated that on Saturday, April 2, 2022, a group of students gathered on the terrace of Jagannathpur Polytechnic College’s residential hostel building to celebrate the first day of Hindu New Year. Students celebrated and chanted ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ slogans, which infuriated some ‘secular’ students and those from a ‘particular community.’ These students complained to the college principal, who rusticated one of the students and suspended two others who led the celebration. Along with this, almost 500 Hindu students were denied food on that day.
नव वर्ष के जश्न मनाने के कारन हॉस्टल के 1 छात्र को Restrict और दो अन्य छात्र को Suspend कर दिया, वही 500 अन्य हिन्दू छात्रों का खाना बन्द
— Ashwini Shrivastava (@AshwiniSahaya) April 3, 2022
घटना झारखंड सिंहभूम जग्गनाथपूर के गवर्मेंट पॉलटेकनिक कॉलेज का है।@HemantSorenJMM @OpIndia_in @UnSubtleDesi @sudhirchaudhary @RubikaLiyaquat pic.twitter.com/1DfKDobY7a
Centre of Indian Trade Union, Jharkhand also Tweeted about the incident and asked the DIG of Kohlan range in Chaibasa, Jharkhand to intervene and resolve the issue.
@DIGKOLHAN.महोदय, आशा है कि आपको जगन्नाथपुर पॉलिटेक्निक कॉलेज में हुई आज की अवांछित घटना के बारे में सूचित किया गया होगा। छात्र दहशत में हैं। खाना नहीं परोसा जा रहा है, छात्राएं भी वहीं रह रही हैं। कृपया हस्तक्षेप करें और छात्रों की मदद करें।
— CITU.JHARKHAND (@JharkhandCitu) April 2, 2022
Meanwhile, a Dainik Bhaskar team visited Jagannathpur Polytechnic College and spoke with students. The students testified that on April 2, a group of students had gathered on the terrace to celebrate ‘Nav Samvatsar’ by chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogans when the principal arrived and raised objections. This sparked a minor argument between the students and the principal, who then suspended Amrit and Ghanshyam. The mess was also shut and the students were denied food for the rest of the day.
Dr Sanjeev Kumar, the college’s principal, however, denied the allegations. He claimed that on April 2, a group of college students unexpectedly gathered on the terrace and began chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogans.
Govt college principal defends suspension of students for chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogans, calls it a ‘disciplinary action’
Because students from various communities study here, this type of behaviour would be detrimental to the college environment, said Dr Sanjeev Kumar, adding that Amrit and Ghanshyam were suspended as a result of this disciplinary action.
He further denied that the college had shut the mess and refused food to the students. He said that the mess is handled by the students themselves and the college just provides the inventories.
He added that Amrit was the college topper and that he had been instigated.
Dr Sanjeev Kumar went on to say that the college had informed the local police station and the BDO about the incident and that they had begun an investigation. He also stated that the college has formed a 7-member team led by professor SS Jha to conduct an internal investigation into the matter. The team has been given 7 days to submit a report on the matter.
The principal stated that his intention was not to jeopardise the students’ future, but rather to discipline them.
