‘Commit murder if you get into a fight,’ Purvanchal University VC allegedly tells students
A video of the remarks, which Raja Ram Yadav allegedly made at an event in a college in Ghazipur on December 28, went viral on social media.
The vice chancellor of Purvanchal University in Uttar Pradesh’s Jaunpur district has stirred up controversy by reportedly asking students to commit murder if they get into a fight. The video of the speech has gone viral on social media. Scroll.in could not independently verfiy the video’s authenticity.
“If you are a student of Purvanchal University, don’t come to me crying,” Vice-Chancellor Raja Ram Yadav is heard telling students at an event in a college in Ghazipur on December 28, a day before violence broke out in the district. “If you get into a fight with someone, beat up that person. If possible murder him, we will take care of things after that.”
#WATCH Purvanchal University Vice-Chancellor Raja Ram Yadav at a seminar in the University in Ghazipur: If you’re a student of this University, never come crying to me. If you ever get into a fight, beat them, if possible murder them, we’ll take care of it later. (29.12.18) pic.twitter.com/omFqXN55z9
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) December 30, 2018
Yadav made the remarks to the students of Satyadev Degree College and Ram Manohar Lohia Degree College in Ghazipur, The Telegraph reported, citing sources. Yadav “is known to have links” with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, and had taken the initiative to start the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Institute in Purvanchal University, the newspaper added.
Yadav could not be contacted for a comment on the matter. An unidentified teacher in the university said Yadav stays in Delhi and Mumbai during holidays and can be contacted after he returns on January 2, The Telegraph reported.
Political leaders across parties condemned Yadav’s alleged statements on Sunday. Uttar Pradesh minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Siddharth Nath Singh said Yadav has no right to continue as the vice chancellor, ANI reported. “He should teach students the way of peace but he’s doing ‘gunda raj’,” Singh said. “The vice chancellor of such mentality has no right to stay in his position. I hope the deputy chief minister will take appropriate action.”
Congress leader Shailendra Singh said a vice chancellor should not make such comments, the Hindustan Times reported. “What lesson does he want to give to the students by making such a statements?” he asked.
“This is a highly objectionable comment,” said Samajwadi Party spokesperson Manoj Rai Dhupchandi. “The Purvanchal vice chancellor is motivating students to get into hooliganism.” He too demanded action against Yadav.
