Varanasi boils over UP Guv's 'Sanskrit' remarks

Varanasi, Feb 10 (UNI) A day after Uttar Pradesh governor T V Rajeswar's remarks on Sanskrit education fuelled violence at the Sampoornand Sanskrit University (SSU) here, widespread protests were staged in various parts of the holy city even today.

Spanning from protests at the SSU to street demonstrations by the ruling Samajwadi Party (SP), Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena, the entire city witnessed voices of protests over the issue.

Students at the SSU burnt the governor in effigy just outside the varsity gate in Chowkaghat area even as tight security arrangements were put in place on the university campus as a precautionary measure.

A member of SSU executive council, Prof Rajiv Ranjan Singh, meanwhile, terming the governor's remarks ''irresponsible'', said students and teachers of the university have decided to launch a signature campaign from tomorrow to demand that Mr Rajeswar be stripped of the gubarnatorial assignment.

''We are shortly going to submit a representation to President A P J Abdul Kalam and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to remove the governor for his irresponsible comments on Sanskrit education at the 27th convocation of SSU yesterday,'' said Prof Singh, also the Dean of Faculty of Shraman Vidya at SSU.

The Shiv Sena activists. led by Shiv Seth. burnt the UP governor in effigy at Chowk while SP activists took to the streets at Maidagin crossing. The ruling party activists also burnt an effigy of Mr Rajeswar at Kachahari square.

The activists of the BJP cultural cell also carried out a protest march under the leadership of Gyan Prakash Mishra and Ashok Pandey from Banaras Hindu University (BHU) maingate to Assi Ghat. Raising slogans like ''Sanskrit ka yeh apmaan nahi sahega hindustan,'' the saffron activists demanded that Mr Rajeswar stand down from his post immediately.

Students of a Vedic Gurukul 'Dharma Sangh Shiksha Mandal' also burnt the UP governor in effigy.

Meanwhile, delegates at the 2nd ' World Veda Vigyan Congress' under way at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) also termed 'unfortunate' Mr Rajeswar's remarks.

In his presidential address at the SSU convocation yesterday, Mr Rajeswar, also the varsity chancellor, had questioned the relevance of Sanskrit in modern and professional era. ''Times have changed now and exclusive Sanskrit eduation is beneficial for those, who only want to become priests or Sanskrit teachers,'' he observed.

The governor said, ''If you want to succeed professionally, earn Rs two-three lakh per month or go abroad...you must be proficient in English and not only Sanskrit. Studying Sanskrit only is like living in the era of bullockcart at a time, when man has successfully made his presence felt on the moon.'' Mr Rajeswar added, '' Efforts will be made to introduce English as a compulsory subject in the Sanskrit varsity's curriculum.'' Agitated over the remarks, the SSU students indulged in violence following which police used force to disperse the mob which allegedly resulted in injuries to five students. A student, Prem Chand Nag, was detained in this connection.

UNI