Varsity shut after Prof thrashed over Vajpayee post

The Mahatma Gandhi Central University (MGCU) in Bihar’s Champaran district has been closed indefinitely from Monday onwards.

The decision to shut down the varsity was taken by Vice-chancellor AK Agarwal to ensure “safety of students, teachers and non-teaching staff.”

Sanjay Kumar, who is an assistant professor in sociology department in (MGCU), was thrashed by a mob on Friday for posting provocative statements against former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

“It’s unfortunate that I have to close the university sine die in the land of Gandhi, but I have no option left,” said the vice-chancellor.

The MGCU was set up under the Central Universities (Amendment) Act, 2014 at Motihari, the headquarters of East Champaran. The establishment of this varsity is significant in the sense that it was Mahatma Gandhi who launched an agitation, indigo movement, against the British from Champaran in 1917, which eventually catapulted Bapu on the national scene during the freedom struggle.

Meanwhile, the injured assistant professor was rushed to Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH), where he is recuperating. Former JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar met Sanjay at the hospital and said that it’s a wrong precedence to attack anyone who showed any form of dissent against the BJP or the ruling establishment.

“One need not be cowed down by the young Sanghis and its parent organisation,” said Kanhaiya, in an apparent reference to the RSS.

The RJD and Left leaders too have slammed the assault on the professor and demanded that an independent probe is conducted “and those named in the FIR be arrested” at the earliest.

“The incident took place reportedly over a Facebook post. We are taking action against all the 25 people who have been named in the FIR lodged by the assistant professor. So far, 12 accused have been arrested. Others will be apprehended soon,” said Bihar DGP, KS Dwivedi.