Mahatma Gandhi Kashi University dismissed a guest lecturer after he shared a Facebook post criticizing the women keeping fasts during the ongoing Navratri festival. Dr Sunita Pandey, the registrar of the university, issued an order on 29th September 2022, prohibiting the lecturer from entering the premises citing the outrage amongst the students because of the lecturer’s Facebook post that may cause disturbance to the peaceful atmosphere of the university campus.
Dr Mithilesh Kumar Gautam is a guest lecturer who teaches in the department of political science in the Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith. He shared a Facebook post on 29th September 2022 in which he wrote, “It is better for women to read the Constitution of India and the Hindu Code Bill for nine days, rather than fasting for nine days in the Navratri. Their life will become free from slavery and fear. Jai Bhim.”
The registrar of the university wrote in the order, “A letter of complaint was received from the students who are aggrieved because of the anti-Hindu Facebook post shared by Dr Mithilesh Kumar Gautam, a guest lecturer in the department of political science. The act committed by Dr Mithilesh Kumar Gautam is potent enough to cause student outrage and disturb the harmonious atmosphere in the university.”
“Considering this, I am instructed by section 14.04 subsection 2 and 4 of the Universities Act to dismiss Dr Mithilesh Kumar Gautam, a guest lecturer in the department of political science with immediate effect and prohibit his entry into the university premises considering the security issues of the university campus,” the order further read.