“Fearing Lynching”, Allahabad Univ Assistant Prof Goes on Leave

A Dalit assistant professor of Allahabad University has gone on indefinite leave, claiming fears of being lynched.

Allahabad University. 

(Photo Courtesy: alladuniv.com)

A Dalit assistant professor of the Allahabad University, Vikram Harijan (40) has gone on an indefinite leave since last month, claiming fears of being lynched on campus. According to a report in The Indian Express, he had sent his leave application after allegedly being gheraoed and threatened over a video of him having gone viral in August.

In August 2019, a video began to be circulated of the assistant professor, where he was allegedly making objectionable remarks against a Hindu god. Post the video, the university administration had issued a showcause notice against him; the ABVP has also filed a police complaint against him.

Vikram is yet to file a reply to the notice.

Vikram Harijan told The Indian Express, however,

“The 2.3-minute video shows parts of a speech I gave during B R Ambedkar’s birth anniversary on April 14, 2017. It was a small get-together outside the campus. I had narrated an incident to explain that we can move forward with hard work and not depend on destiny. I wanted to promote rationality through my statement.”

According to him, and as quoted by IE, his research scholar Ranjeet “edited and circulated the video” to harass him, since he had allegedly complained against Ranjeet to the chief proctor for unsatisfactory conduct. Ranjeet admitted to having uploaded the video, when contacted by IE, but claimed that he had done it to “promote his thought” although some people had distorted it.

Vikram also told the newspaper that he had contacted Chief Proctor Ram Sewak Dubey (also the president of Allahabad University Teachers’ Union), and Prayagraj SSP Satyarth Aniruddha Pankaj “seeking help and security”. Dubey told IE that Vikram was “making false allegations of being lynched”.

(With inputs from The Indian Express)