On Sunday (October 17), the student association of All India Institue of Medical Science (AIIMS) tendered an apology after a video of a derogatory Ram Leela skit went viral on social media. The development came after netizens began demanding the arrest of the accused students using the hashtag #ArrestAIIMSCulprits on Twitter.
In a statement, AIIMS Student Association said, “Video clip of a Ramleela skit by some students of AIIMS has been circulating on social media. On behalf of the students, we apologise for conduct of this skit which wasn’t meant to hurt anyone’s sentiments. We’ll ensure that no such activity takes place in future.”
Video clip of a Ramleela skit by some students of AIIMS has been circulating on social media.On behalf of the students,we apologise for conduct of this skit which wasn’t meant to hurt anyone’s sentiments.We’ll ensure that no such activity takes place in future: AIIMS Student Assn
— ANI (@ANI) October 17, 2021
The video
The objectionable act was performed by AIIMS students, the video of which was uploaded by 2020 Topper Soyeb Aftab on his Youtube channel ‘AIIMS Insider.’ Following social media outrage, he made the video private. However, several people had downloaded the contentious video clip from his account before Aftab could hide it.
Vile portrayal of Ramayana by AIIMS students
Popular news channel Sudarshan News had posted the clips on its Twitter feed. At the very onset, the student performing the character of Lord Ram could be heard as saying, “I am committed to Sita for life. If you (Shurpanakha) are so lustful (tharki), here is my brother.” The girl playing the character of ‘Shurpanakha’ then went on to objectify Laxman and sang the popular Bollywood song, “Tu cheez badi hai mast mast“. With lewd gestures and Bollywood songs, the sanctity of Ramleela was stripped in the opening act itself.
वो मजहब के अपमान के नाम पर कमलेश तिवारी का कत्ल कर सकते हैं
— Sudarshan News (@SudarshanNewsTV) October 17, 2021
लेकिन
स्वयं हिंदुओं के सर्वपूज्य प्रभु श्रीराम, माता जानकी व लक्ष्मण जी का सरेआम मजाक भी उड़ा सकते हैं.
स्थान- AIIMS
करने वाला- शोएब आफताब@unacademy Vlogs के साथ रामायण रामायण का अपमान कर रहा है.@dpradhanbjp
1/2 pic.twitter.com/jWkAx7AFin
In the subsequent act, one actor pretended to be the vicious NDTV journalist Ravish Kumar and referred to Lord Ram as ‘launda (chap)’. Another AIIMS student called the Lord as ‘chora‘ who beheaded Shurpanakha. The ‘Ravan’ in the skit then threatened to abduct the lugai (a rustic reference to Maa Sita) of Lord Ram. While they mocked the Hindu epic of Ramayana, other AIIMS students, watching the skit, cheered and hooted in unison.
प्रभु श्रीराम के पिता महाराज दशरथ तथा माता कैकेयी का किस तरह से अपमान किया जा रहा है, मजाक उड़ाया जा रहा है और ये सब देश के प्रतिष्ठित दिल्ली AIIMS का छात्र शोएब आफताब कर रहा है. pic.twitter.com/Lv486JqKZ4
— Sudarshan News (@SudarshanNewsTV) October 17, 2021
Furthermore, there was a scene wherein the King of Ayodhya, Raja Dasharatha, danced to the tune of ‘Sorry Darling’ in a bid to convince Kaikeyi. The essence of the Hindu epic was shredded as the audience broke into fits of laughter. In the ‘woke version of Ramayana’, Kaikeyi referred to Raja Dasharatha as love and directed him to send Lord Ram to exile in the Amazon forest. The contentious video ended with the logo of Unacademy Vlogs at the centre.
