Varanasi – In a demonstration of student unrest, Banaras Hindu University (BHU) witnessed a significant protest against the decision to construct a boundary wall within the premises of the Indian Institute of Technology-Banaras Hindu University (IIT-BHU). The students have voiced their concerns, stating that this decision threatens to divide the BHU campus, and they have called for its withdrawal. They have proposed alternative security measures to safeguard the campus. In support of the students’ demands, former faculty member Prof Kaushal Kishore Mishra has stepped forward.
The entire Banaras Hindu University campus is encircled by a 10-foot boundary wall, within which the IIT-BHU campus is situated. Students argue that the proposed construction of a boundary wall around IIT-BHU, justified as a security enhancement measure, will inadvertently fragment the campus. With a collective student population of approximately 20,000 residing in around 95 hostels shared between BHU and IIT-BHU, the safety of each student remains a paramount concern. As such, they urge the university and IIT-BHU administration to focus on enhancing security for the entire campus.
The decision to erect this wall arose following a recent incident of molestation within the campus. The IIT-BHU administration communicated to the students that the construction of the boundary wall is intended to fortify the safety of the institute’s campus. Simultaneously, the administration committed to installing CCTV cameras at critical locations, including girls’ hostels, without delay.
On learning of this decision, students from various BHU departments initiated a class boycott on Friday and conducted a protest march against the proposed division of the campus.
Patanjali, a research scholar at BHU, suggests that the university and IIT-BHU administration should explore alternative methods to bolster campus security.
Student leader Mrityunjay Tiwari Azad has expressed his disapproval of the decision to partition the campus, emphasizing that such a move does not serve BHU’s interests. He calls upon university and IIT-BHU officials to clarify their rationale behind this decision.
Prof Kaushal Kishore Mishra, former dean of the faculty of social sciences at BHU, echoes the sentiments of the protesting students and lends his unequivocal support to their cause.
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