On Friday (February 1), an outrageous incident took place at the Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) when a play was performed at the varsity mocking Lord Ram and Goddess Sita. The play titled ‘Jab We Met’ was staged as a part of a competition at Lalit Kala Kendra.
The Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activists took strong objection to the depiction of Lord Ram and Goddess Sita in a poor light in the said act. ABVP activists stopped the play and a heated argument ensued. Two students have reportedly suffered injuries in the altercation on Friday, February 2.
The ABVP members, while raising objection to the mockery of Ramayana and Bhagwan Ram and Mata Sita, emphasised that Ramayana is not mythology but history.
In the outrageous video, the student playing Mata Sita was shown smoking a cigarette. The theme of the play is reported to be the rehearsal journey of actors involved in Ramlila.
Taking to X, ABVP Pune shared a video of the offensive play and wrote, “Prabhu Shriram and Sita Mata were portrayed as clowns in the dramas presented by the department of Fine Arts Center of Savitribai Phule Pune University.”
“The activists of ABVP Pune Mahanagar stopped this offensive play. ABVP Pune has taken a stand that such language about Hindu deities will not be tolerated and action should be taken against the culprits concerned,” the student organisation added.
Speaking about the matter, Suresh Bhosale from the SPPU security department said, “We were not given any prior intimation about the program and came to know about it after the incident.”
Meanwhile, both the parties involved in the matter have filed cross-complaints at the Chatuhshrungi police station. The police have been recording the statements of both the groups involved in the matter. The police said that after a verification an FIR might lodged against the organisers of the play hurting Hindu religious sentiments.