PATNA: Police began investigation against an assistant professor at
Jai Prakash University
,
Chhapra
, Khursheed Alam on Saturday for his demand of a “separate homeland for Muslims” through his social media posts, triggering protests by the students and prompting the university administration to serve show-cause notice. The professor ultimately resigned from his post.
Alam, who headed the department of political science at Narayan College, Siwan which falls under the
JP University
, triggered storms when he posted two comments on social media a couple of days back.
In one of his posts, he wrote “United Pakistan and Bangladesh #Zindabad” while in another, he said, “…the Indian Muslims want a separate homeland adjoining Pakistan and Bangladesh.”
As his posts drew protests, the University administration served show-cause notice on him, asking to reply why disciplinary action should not be taken against him for indulging in “anti-national activities.” “Posting such matters on social media is totally wrong. It seems he is not in a good state of mind. Anyway, we have written to the SP, DM and the Raj Bhawan for suitable actions against him,” University registrar Ranjit Kumar told the TOI over phone on Saturday.
Siwan SP Shailesh Kumar Sinha said the professor only expressed his feelings through his posts. “He (Alam) expressed his opinion through these posts. Anyway, the police have made an entry of the complaint and began investigation,” the SP told the TOI.
When contacted, Alam said he expressed his feelings only in certain contexts. “Our Constitution declares India as a ‘secular’ state but the BJP in its manifesto has announced to make India a “Hindu rashtra’. Presently, the state (country) is not ‘neutral’ towards all religions. Courts’ judgments are also ‘biased’ as most of them are against the Muslim minority,” he alleged.
Describing his opinion simply as his “freedom of expression”, he further alleged the RSS networks have now spread everywhere. Ultimately, he resigned from his post on Saturday after the administration tightened its grip around him as the students staged angry protests on the campus.
Angry students protested on the college campus on Saturday and demanded action against him while burning his effigy to express their anger. They also announced not to attend classes until he was removed from the college. “He has hurt everyone’s sentiments by expressing such feelings in public and is trying to disturb communal harmony in society. Action must be initiated against him,” working committee member of ABVP Himanshu Kumar told the media on Saturday. He was one of the students joining the protests.
Meanwhile, the professor has tendered an apology as his posts went viral, earning him wide condemnation. “I have never tried or intended to hurt anybody's sentiments through this post. If it hurt anyone, I seriously apologize for it,” the professor posted today.
English (US) ·