A professor at a private college in Aligarh was sent on leave by authorities for offering namaz in an open space on the campus.
On 26 May, a video of the Muslim assistant professor praying in a corner of an in-campus park went viral, prompting protests by student organisations including Bharatiya Janata Party Yuva Morcha and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).
Responding to the incident, the college principal said that a committee will be formed and an inquiry will be conducted.
Earlier, BJP Yuva Morcha leaders had objected to the incident.
Amit Goswami, vice president of the Morcha’s Mahanagar unit, stated, "This is not a religious place to read Namaz. How can a professor leave class and offer prayers in the educational institution?"
He added that action must be taken against the professor as all religious people including Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs come to educational institutions and they must also be treated equally.
Right-wing groups in the region claimed that campuses should not be used to further religious beliefs. No first information report (FIR) has been filed in connection with the matter.
