Chhattisgarh: 7 professors among 8 booked for allegedly forcing students to offer namaz

Eight persons, including seven professors, from Chhattisgarh’s Guru Ghasidas Central University were booked on Saturday for allegedly forcing 159 students to offer namaz during a National Service Scheme camp held in Bilaspur district, PTI reported, quoting a police officer.

A student, who was the team core leader for organising the camp, was also booked along with the seven professors.

The camp was held between March 26 and April 1 in Shivtarai village. In their complaint, the students alleged that they were forced to offer namaz on March 31, according to The Indian Express.

“As part of the camp, the students are made to do different activities like yoga,” an unidentified police officer was quoted as saying by the newspaper. “That day it was Eid so some Muslim students were offering namaz on the school ground. The other students were also asked to offer namaz with them.”

The students protested after returning from the camp, a police officer told PTI. Members of Hindutva groups also held protests, seeking action against those who had made the students offer namaz.

The professors and the student were booked under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections pertaining to promoting enmity between groups, making assertions prejudicial to national integration, acts intended to outrage religious feelings and unlawful assembly.

MN Tripathi, the professor and media cell...

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