Banaras Hindu University imparts training in making cow dung cake, draws flak

BHU organised a workshop in which the dean of the social science faculty taught the students about making 'upala'

If you think that the universities are centres for imparting higher education to the students then you need to visit the prestigious Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in Varanasi, the Lok Sabha constituency of prime minister Narendra Modi, to know them otherwise.

The central university recently organised a workshop in which the dean of the social science faculty Prof Kaushal Kishore Mishra taught the students about making 'upala' (cow dung cakes).

A video, that went viral on social media, showed Prof Mishra imparting training to the students in making dung cakes. Mishra could be seen surrounded by some students, who could also be seen making dung cakes.

The Varsity also later tweeted that a workshop was held at the Integrated Village Development Centre of the University where the students were imparted training in making cow dung cakes.

Mishra said that these dung cakes could be used for performing 'havans' (a ritual by fire), puja and also as a fuel for preparing food. He also urged the central government to make arrangements for selling products that could be prepared from cow dung.

''It will help in increasing the income of the farmers,'' Mishra added.

He also said that these students would be visiting the villages and training the people there in making cow dung cakes.

The video drew flak from different quarters and many took to the internet to slam the varsity for organising such a workshop. ''Universities should be places for higher learning....the students go there to acquire specialised knowledge and not to learn how to make cow dung cakes,'', said a netizen.

Another user said that such training could be very easily imparted by the women in the villages and that there was no need to have highly paid professors for this kind of work.

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