BENGALURU: Although no students have been arrested from Azim Premji University (APU), educationists, academics, writers, journalists and theatre artistes from across the state have urged the APU vice-chancellor to revoke the FIR filed against students and SPARK Reading Circle.
On February 24, SPARK Reading Circle organised a discussion on Kunan Poshpora 1991 incident at APU. ABVP members vandalised the campus and attacked university students, calling them anti-national for organising the event.
Condemning the action of the university, the writers said while an educational institution has the right to conduct its own internal proceedings, it is highly outrageous to file a case against students for organising such events.
They alleged that APU has taken a soft stand towards ABVP members who vandalised its property and have been booked under bailable offences. “However, you have registered non-bailable cases under BNS Section 299 against your own students who have come forward to discuss and debate the incidents that took place in the past.
Due to this stance, the university has equated the students’ actions with goons from outside. Therefore, you are sending a message to the people of Karnataka that differences of opinion and dialogue have no place in your university,” they said in their letter to the V-C.