LUCKNOW: The Vice-Chancellor of Purvanchal University has waded into controversy after remarks that appeared to encourage students to get into fights and even commit murders. As National Conference chief Omar Abdullah targeted the BJP, Uttar Pradesh minister Siddharth Nath Singh recommended action against Raja Ram Yadav, saying a vice-chancellor of "such mentality has no right to stay in his position".
"I have asked the vice-chancellor to give his version of the story," UP Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma, who also holds the higher education portfolio, told news agency PTI.
At a college function in Ghazipur on Saturday, Raja Ram Yadav said, "If you're a student of this University, never come crying to me. If you ever get into a fight, beat them, if possible murder them, we'll take care of it later".
Ghazipur was where a police constable Suresh Vats was killed by a mob, allegedly belonging to the Nishad Party, the same evening.
Raja Ram Yadav was a professor of the Allahabad University, who was appointed the vice-chancellor of Purvanchal University -- which has 350 affiliated colleges -- in April 2017. In October, he faced criticisms of saffronisation after a Ram Katha was organised inside the university premises in October.
National Conference chief Omar Abdullah tweeted:
This afternoon, Siddharth Nath Singh said, "It was wrong, he can't make such comments. He should teach students the way of peace but he's doing 'gunda raj'... A vice chancellor of such mentality has no right to stay in his position. I hope Deputy Chief Minister will take appropriate action," reported news agency ANI.
On December 3, another police officer, inspector Subodh Kumar Singh, was shot dead in Bulandshahr after a mob went berserk when carcasses of several cows were found in the outskirts of a village. The attackers had had used stones, sticks to hit him and chopped off his fingers with an axe before shooting him.