Varanasi: Amid protests, BHU professor Feroze Khan to interview at Art faculty

Prof Feroze Khan of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) will be appearing for an interview in University's Art faculty on Wednesday as students continue to protest over his appointment as Assistant Professor in the Sanskrit department of the varsity. Feroze, a professor in Sanskrit Vidya Dharma Vigyan of BHU will be appearing for the associate professor's post in the Sanskrit department of Art faculty.

The protest began after a break of ten days on November 22

The students had on Monday resumed their protest against the appointment of Khan in the Sanskrit Vidya Dharma Vigyan of the University. The agitation was called off on November 22 after giving a memorandum to the university administration against the appointment of the professor. The protests had then begun after a break of ten days since 22. The appointment of Khan in the department has triggered protests by the varsity's students last month.

The agitating students had claimed that the protest was not against the appointment of a Muslim professor, but the appointment of a non-Hindu in a subject closely connected with the religion. Prof Khan was appointed by BHU selection committee comprising Vice-Chancellor Prof Rakesh Bhatnagar on November 5. The protestors had claimed they called off the dharna on the assurance from the head of the Sanskrit department under SVDV faculty that they would get a response within 10 days on their demand.

'They responded on only three out of five questions'

The group had claimed that a Muslim cannot teach Sanskrit at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU), a stand opposed by varsity officials and other students and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). On resuming the dharna after the 10-day wait to get a response from the authorities concerned, Chakrapani Ojha, the student leader spearheading the protests, claimed that of the five questions they had posed to the university administration over the appointment of Prof Khan, they were responded on only three. “So we have resumed the dharna,” said Ojha on Monday evening.

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After the controversy, Prof Khan had appeared for the interview at the Ayurveda department on November 29. He was ranked at the top of the merit list. Though his name figures on the merit list of the shortlisted candidates for the post, the challenge is huge as there are 39 candidates for three posts under OBC category.

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(With ANI inputs)