Demonstrations by a group of students are continuing at the Sanskrit unit of Banaras Hindu University against the appointment of a Muslim as an assistant professor of the language.
Banaras Hindu University had announced that it had appointed Firoze Khan as assistant professor of Sanskrit after its selection committee had met on November 5 and recommended the "most suitable candidate".
On Wednesday, NDTV reported around 30 students of Sanskrit literature had been protesting outside the office of BHU Vice Chancellor Rakesh Bhatnagar, seeking the cancellation of the appointment of Firoze Khan. The protests began on November 7.
Bhatnagar met a delegation of the protesters on Tuesday and held talks with them for over two hours. "The VC assured the students that the university is committed to rising above discrimination on the basis of caste, religion, life, community, etc., and working for the welfare of the country," a BHU statement said.
On their part, the protesting students claimed their protest was not against the appointment of a Muslim professor, but the hiring of a non-Hindu in a "subject closely connected with their religion".
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M.P. Ahirwar, a professor at BHU, claimed that some faculty members were instigating the protests. He claimed a "majority" of the protesters were associated with “ABVP, Hindu Mahasabha and Hindu Vahini".
According to reports, Firoze Khan, a native of Rajasthan, has not been to BHU since his appointment.
