Police stops Yogendra Yadav from entering Banaras Hindu University

Swaraj Abhiyan chief and former UGC member Yogendra Yadav was stopped from entering the Banaras Hindu University (BHU), where a heavy posse of police—including female cops—had been stationed at the entrance gates of the varsity on Thursday.

The supporters of Yogendra Yadav, including many students, staged a demonstration in front of Lanka gate for an hour after police denied them permission to enter the varsity. Police said that they didn’t allow a “political personality” to enter university and interact with the students on orders of higher authorities

In the face of ongoing protests by girl students of the varsity against gender discrimination and growing incidents of molestation, Yadav said that he intended to give a written representation to the VC.

Later, he told media that varsity administration had been flouting university regulation norms besides Vishaka Guidelines laid down by the apex court.

Taking a jibe at the varsity administration and the state government, he said: “I am glad to see that Banaras has women police as well. But where was it when male police entered girls' hostels and lathi-charged them.”

Later, in a Facebook blog he said that he had fixed an appointment with the VC well in advance and yet he was not allowed to meet him at the last moment. He further said that he wanted to have a discussion with the VC on several burning issues of the university students.

In the post he raised following demands:

• Those hooligans who molested girl students have not been arrested as yet. They must be identified and punished as soon as possible.
• All the incidents of sexual harassment that took place in BHU in the past 5-7 years must be probed. An Action Taken Report in all these cases must also be prepared.
• The police cases against all the protesting students must be withdrawn and they should not be unnecessarily harassed.
• The officer who ordered police to enter girls’ hostels must be placed under suspension.
• The judicial probe should be independent and transparent and unbiased. The identity of girl students who come forward to give their statements must be protected.