WEB DESK
New Delhi: In another incident of fanaticism against minorities, Vandals reportedly defaced the door of the chapel inside Delhi University’s prestigious St Stephen’s College with a pro-Hindutva slogan that read, “Mandir yahin banega” (The temple will be constructed here).
Moreover, the cross outside the chapel was also defaced.
Sources said the graffiti on the door was first noticed by students on May 4 evening and the work began to get rid of the slogans the following day.
A St Stephen’s student who did not wish to be named, said, “Some students had already noticed the graffiti on Friday, but I noticed it when I was out for an early morning jog on Saturday. After a while, I saw that the staff had started to remove the slogans. By Saturday afternoon, all signs of the slogans were gone.”
While the door of the chapel read “Mandir yahin bangea,” the cross outside the church had the words “I’m going to hell” written on them. Delhi University Students’ Union Presidet Rocky Tusseed expressed concern over the matter and said they would raise the issue with the concerned authorities.
“There is an attempt to divide students of the country along religious lines. The same script of Aligarh Muslim University (where an 80-year-old portrait of Pakistan founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah created a controversy) is playing out here as well,” Tusseed said.
“St Stephen’s College has been a shining beacon in granting excellent quality education to students and has played a pivotal role in shaping young minds that have gone to positively influence policy making decisions. Such an incident brings harm to the very fabric of the institution and to the spirit of the idea of India for which it stands. This incident is condemnable and strict actions should be taken against those who are found guilty,” NSUI media in-charge Neeraj Mishra said in press statement.
The ABVP, too, called for action. ABCVP Delhi state secretary Bharat Kumar said, “Whoever is responsible for this must be brought to book. ABVP condemns this act of vandalism.”
According to Rajesh Kumar, member of DU’s Executive Council, said, “We absolutely condemn this incident. Such incidents have increased after the current government took office. Their attitude towards education is anti-social justice. That is why such incidents take place, to distract from all the ways in which they are destroying higher education. Whoever is found responsible must be punished.”
However the college bursar, who’s officiating in the absence of the principal, denied any such incident. “I did not see anything written on the chapel door; there was no such incident,” Bursar Renish Abraham said, and denied reports that the college had filed a police complaint in this regard. Principal John Varghese was not available for comment.