A 43-year-old Professor at a prestigious college in Pune was detained on Thursday for allegedly making "controversial" and "disrespectful" comments about Hindu gods during a lecture, according to right-wing organizations.
Ashok Sopan Dhole, an 18-year veteran of teaching Hindi at Symbiosis College of Arts and Commerce, has been suspended, according to campus officials.
The institution has opened an inquiry on the teacher, according to college principal Dr. Hrishikesh Soman, after several groups complained about his comments.
“The video apparently was from a lecture and after some days, some members of an outfit visited the college with the video and sought action against him. We have suspended him, and this being a government-aided college, the process of initiating inquiry has started,” he said.
According to senior inspector Vipin Hasabnis of the Deccan Gymkhana police station, the professor was detained after being called in for questioning concerning a first information report (FIR) filed under section 295A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) (actions intended to incite religious feelings).
“We received a complaint application from representatives of various organizations. After conducting a preliminary inquiry into the allegations, we proceeded to register an FIR,” Hasabnis said.
A video of the teacher's statements surfaced on social media, bringing attention to the event. A police complaint was filed by Ravindra Dilip Padwal, who identified himself as the president of the Samast Hindu Bandhav group. A protest was also held outside the campus by members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), a student organization connected to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). They demanded that the teacher be subjected to punishment. Additionally, some Symbiosis students issued a statement claiming that Dhole's comments insulted them.
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