‘Offensive’ skit on Ambedkar, Dalits: Six students of Jain University suspended
Bengaluru: Six students of Jain University Centre for Management Studies were suspended, after a video went viral on social media, showing them enacting a skit that allegedly made offensive remarks against Dr B R Ambedkar as well as Dalits.
An officer of Jain University has said that a disciplinary committee of experts had been constituted as per the guidelines of the University Grants Commission (UGC) to investigate the matter, reports The Indian Express.
The college is organizing a youth festival that will continue till February 20 and the suspended students were performing at the festival. The matter came to light on Thursday.
Aakshay Bansode, state member of the Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi, filed a police complaint and requested police superintendent of Nanded in Maharashtra to take action against the students as well as the Jain University.
Bansode has alleged that the skit is highly casteist and that it is performed with ill motives ‘to intentionally insult and humiliate the community and people belonging to it’. “Moreover, the derogatory and defamatory statement about Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar is also highly offensive at large and showcases intention of the performers and the university authorities as this act went through various checks yet was allowed to perform on stage and publish it on social media,” Bansode has alleged in his complaint.
Jain University authorities have stated that the University has submitted before the public ‘an unconditional apology’. They have added that the matter is being probed. “The skit’s intention was to highlight the anti-caste system in the country. However, the students went a little overboard in their presentation. As soon as we realised that the skit was offensive, we immediately suspended the boys. We also called the students’ parents and informed them about the incident. As per UGC guidelines the university has also formed a disciplinary committee that will take a decision in the matter after an inquiry,” said an officer of the University.
He further clarified, “Since the skit was a part of Mad-Ads, the performance was an extempore. Although it highlights the anti-caste system prevailing in society, the students took more liberty. We totally condemn the act.”
Members of The Delroys Boys, a theatre group from CMS, who performed the skit, have stated on Instagram that the skit did not reflect discrimination. The group has also issued a public apology in the matter. The Instagram account of The Delroys Boys, however, appears to have been deactivated.
@JainDeemedtbUnv Bangalore students Who made hate speech against Dalit community and our leader Dr.Babasaheb in their university event. Video is in next tweet.I filed complent today at @NandedPolice
— Aakshay Bansode (@Aakshay_Bansode) February 9, 2023
Also Rqstng @BlrCityPolice and @JainDeemedtbUnv take action against the student pic.twitter.com/zX3FZUGrJY
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K’taka HC judge whose controversial remarks triggered controversy expresses regret before open court
Bengaluru: Karnataka High Court judge, Justice V Srishananda, on Saturday expressed regret in open court after facing backlash over his controversial remarks in his recent court hearings, reported Bar and Bench.
Two purported video clips from Justice V Srishananda’s court hearing that show him making inappropriate comments went viral across social media platforms.
On Saturday, Justice Srishananda invited members of the Advocates Association, Bengaluru, and senior lawyers to his courtroom at 2:30 PM, where he read out a note expressing regret for inappropriate comments.
Quoting Advocates Association President Vivek Subba Reddy, Bar and Bench wrote, “He expressed regret for the comments and clarified that it was not his intention to offend any community or members of the Bar. He also requested the association to relay this message to all members of the Bar.”
Reddy further stated, “We also advised him to encourage young lawyers in the courtroom and refrain from making any irrelevant remarks during hearings.”
Another senior lawyer present during the session confirmed to the legal news portal that Justice Srishananda also addressed comments directed at a woman lawyer, who was seen in one of the videos being reprimanded by the judge. The judge Justice Srishananda clarified that his remarks were not intended to target her (woman lawyer) specifically, but rather pertained to the appellant she was representing. “He explained that his comment was meant to imply that the appellant seemed to know a lot about the other party,” said the lawyer.
In addition, Justice Srishananda assured those present that he would avoid making such comments in the future.
The controversy came to light on September 19, when a video clip from an August 28 Court hearing surfaced on social media, showing Justice Srishananda referring to a Muslim-majority sub-locality in Bengaluru’s Goripalya as "Pakistan." Hours later, another video from the same courtroom emerged, in which the judge was seen making a gender-insensitive remark.
Following outrage over the viral videos, a Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, along with Justices Sanjiv Khanna, BR Gavai, Surya Kant, and Hrishikesh Roy, on September 20 took a suo motu cognizance and sought a report from the Karnataka High Court Registrar General in connection with the viral video.
