<p>Citing an example of its "open-mindedness" since the days of renowned painter late M F Husain, the Gujarat high court Thursday quashed the debarment of a fine art student of Vadodara-based Maharaja Sayajirao University (MSU). </p>.<p>The court ordered the varsity to allow the masters student, who was barred from the campus over his alleged "objectionable artwork", to attend college. The court held that it wasn't a "serious offence" and the student, Kundan Kumar Mahato, could have been given a minor punishment. Justice Bhargav Karia remarked that the university should be more open minded than the students. </p>.<p>"In fine arts all these things are so common. You know it and your faculty members also know it. Your university is well-known for it right from MF Husain's days. According to my general knowledge, this is the best university for fine arts which has an open mindedness for all concerned. The university should take the onus...why students should suffer. Minor penalty could have been imposed,"justice Karia told the lawyer representing MSU.</p>.<p>Mahato, first year master student of the fine arts department, was barred from the campus for good in May last year after pictures of his artwork, which he is reported to have created for internal use, got leaked. Following controversy, the varsity set up a fact-finding committee, whose members are said to be faculties who are also under probe for not raising objection earlier during examination of Mahato's work.</p>.<p>The court remarked that the inquiry against Mahato and those faculties can't be separated, rather it has to be done simultaneously. "Everything must be tied together. It's a joint venture. Action can be taken only after all inquiries are over. All responsible should go and not just a student. His artwork was not for public display and it was for closed examination. If it was derogatory, they (faculties) should have failed him," Justice Karia said.</p>
<p>Citing an example of its "open-mindedness" since the days of renowned painter late M F Husain, the Gujarat high court Thursday quashed the debarment of a fine art student of Vadodara-based Maharaja Sayajirao University (MSU). </p>.<p>The court ordered the varsity to allow the masters student, who was barred from the campus over his alleged "objectionable artwork", to attend college. The court held that it wasn't a "serious offence" and the student, Kundan Kumar Mahato, could have been given a minor punishment. Justice Bhargav Karia remarked that the university should be more open minded than the students. </p>.<p>"In fine arts all these things are so common. You know it and your faculty members also know it. Your university is well-known for it right from MF Husain's days. According to my general knowledge, this is the best university for fine arts which has an open mindedness for all concerned. The university should take the onus...why students should suffer. Minor penalty could have been imposed,"justice Karia told the lawyer representing MSU.</p>.<p>Mahato, first year master student of the fine arts department, was barred from the campus for good in May last year after pictures of his artwork, which he is reported to have created for internal use, got leaked. Following controversy, the varsity set up a fact-finding committee, whose members are said to be faculties who are also under probe for not raising objection earlier during examination of Mahato's work.</p>.<p>The court remarked that the inquiry against Mahato and those faculties can't be separated, rather it has to be done simultaneously. "Everything must be tied together. It's a joint venture. Action can be taken only after all inquiries are over. All responsible should go and not just a student. His artwork was not for public display and it was for closed examination. If it was derogatory, they (faculties) should have failed him," Justice Karia said.</p>
