Hindi lecturer arrested for alleged objectionable remarks about Hindu deities

The Deccan Police have arrested Junior college lecturer Ashok Sopan Dhole, who taught Hindi at Pune’s Symbiosis College of Arts and Commerce (SCAC), for allegedly making objectionable remarks about Hindu deities and outraging the sentiments of the Hindu community.

Dhole’s video, where he is heard speaking on different Hindu Gods and Goddesses during a classroom lecture of Class 12 on July 25, went viral on the social media which led to demonstrations outside the college by right-wing outfits.

Some college students who had objections to Dhole’s remarks had also given their statements to the police. Meanwhile, the college has suspended the lecturer and ordered an inquiry into the incident.

A person identified as Ravindra Padwal (30) claiming to be the president of ‘Samast Hindu Bandhav’ lodged the complaint with Deccan Police station after which Dhole ( 43 ) was charged under IPC Section 295A (deliberate and malicious acts that are intended to outrage religious feelings).

College principal Dr Hrishikesh Soman said that the suspended lecturer had been associated with the institution for 18 years.

“The college has already suspended the lecturer pending inquiry and currently he is under suspension as per the government rules of the state government as his appointment comes under the grant in aid category. The incident took place in Class 12 when he was teaching the Hindi subject. Some groups who had objected to his lecture had approached us with the video, based on which he was suspended,” he said.

Deccan Gymkhana Police Inspector Vipin Sabnis when contacted told National Herald that the police had received an application from office bearers of various organisations regarding the viral video. “After conducting a preliminary inquiry, we called him for questioning and later arrested him under IPC Section 295 A ,” he said.

DCP (Zone I) Sandeep Singh Gill said that the lecturer has been arrested under the relevant sections of the IPC.