The Muharram procession being carried out through the BHU campus has sparked a debate as many students have staged a protest against the University administration’s decision of allowing the procession to pass through their premises. Protesting students have alleged that the administration has started a new tradition of allowing the Muharram procession to pass through the university campus.
The protest has touched off vigorous debates on social media platforms where people, including the citizens of Varanasi, have embroiled themselves in heated debates about if the university administration has kicked off the new tradition of permitting Muharram procession to pass through the campus. Even professors, who were earlier students of the same college, have been vocal to flag their concerns and have asserted that Muharram procession was not allowed in the campus premises in the past. Many professors, who were actively debating on social media platforms have withdrawn their comments after the issue spread like a wildfire.
However, the University Proctor OP Rai denied that the tradition is new and said that Muharram procession was allowed to pass through the campus from last 30-40 years. “This is not a new practice. It has been carried out since last 30-40 years. When religious traditions are already in place for so long, it becomes difficult to suddenly stop them from following what they have been doing since a very long time. The procession came from Chittupur and continued out of the main gate through the law faculty to the women’s college. This year also he came out at 10 am. Some students are unnecessarily creating a fuss over the issue,” he added.
While the university proctor maintains that the tradition is quite old, and is has been followed for a very long time, students protesting against the Muharram procession claim that it is a new tradition sanctioned by the university administration. The protesting students have demanded that punishment be meted out to the ones responsible for allowing this tradition.