Lucknow: A group of BHU students are on a sit-in protest for two weeks, demanding cancellation of appointment of their Sanskrit Professor Dr Firoze Khan, because his name has a Khan. Kanchan Srivastava spoke to Ashish Chauhan, National general secretary of ABVP, about its stand:
Why do you support the protesting students who boycott a teacher only because he is a Muslim?
This Muslim teacher has been appointed in the Faculty of “Sanskrit Vidya Dharam Vigyan” which not just teaches a language but also the culture, religious traditions etc. Students think he is not fit to teach this curriculum. We support their stand.
But the BHU thinks Prof Khan is qualified enough to teach the course. Why does ABVP think otherwise?
It is not the ABVP, but students feel so. The students demand a probe into Khan’s appointment. We support them. In fact, a group of teachers also support them since they were deemed unfit for the same job which Khan cracked.
Even a BHU topper was rejected in the interview. This happened even as nine of the 10 candidates were Hindu. Khan’s professors from Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan were sitting in the interview. Doesn’t this look fishy?
BHU has already made it clear that the appointment was done as per norms.
But the students are not satisfied with the administration’s response. Hence, an inquiry is inevitable. As per the documents available with us, interview was held on 5 November and Khan came for joining on 7 November only.
Besides, two posts were advertised-one Dharmagam and Sanskrit Sahitya. Khan was selected for Sanskrit Sahitya while no body was selected for the other post. This seems fishy. The BHU must order a probe into entire appointment procedure.
If BHU doesn’t order a probe, then what is the way out?
It is for the Vice Chancellor Dr Rakesh Bhatnagar to find the way out. I think, he must reach out to students and convince them. If it doesn’t work, then he should form a committee to inquire the charges of irregularities in the appointment.
