IIT-BHU molestation: ABVP slams UP Congress chief Ajay Rai for 'cheap politics'

The ABVP's outburst came as Rai accused members of the students' group of being involved in an alleged incident of molestation on the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) campus.

Prayagraj: The RSS-affiliated ABVP on Saturday condemned Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai's comments on the alleged incident of molestation on the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) campus and dubbed it an attempt to defame prestigious academic institutions with his 'cheap politics'.

The ABVP's outburst came as Rai has accused members of the students' group of being involved in the November 1 incident.

It said Rai's recent remarks are 'devoid of facts'.

'Furthermore, he has now turned his attention to an old student movement at the Allahabad University,' the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) said in a release.

'It is extremely disheartening that instead of addressing the grave issues faced by the students, Rai is exploiting them for his cheap politics, thereby influencing the pursuit of justice,' the release added.

Referring to the Allahabad University's case, the RSS' student wing said a tragic incident on July 11, 2023, resulted in the untimely death of a student named Ashutosh Dubey due to lack of medical security and negligence on the part of the university administration.

Following this, the student leaders from the Samajwadi Chatra Sabha and the NSUI vandalized the university, the ABVP alleged.

The ABVP said a case was filed in this regard against six named people and one unidentified person in which its worker Atendra Singh was not named but a case was registered against him later.

Earlier on Friday, Rai wrote on social media platform X, 'Atendra Singh is currently the leader of ABVP of the Kashi prant of the Sangh against whom an FIR has been registered that he went to the Sanskrit department of Allahabad University and molested and looted female teachers.'

'A case was lodged on 24/7/ 2023 but no action has been taken till date. On one hand, there is a case of indecency with a student in IIT-BHU, on the other hand, this disgusting act in Prayagraj (Allahabad).. this is the character of the ABVP,' he said in another post.

Reacting to Rai's comment, the ABVP said, 'The Congress leader is trying to hide the perpetrators of the heinous act that happened to the student in the BHU. Such an act would have exposed the shameful politics of the Congress state president.' An FIR has been lodged against the Uttar Pradesh Congress president on a complaint from the ABVP for allegedly promoting enmity.

Based on the complaint lodged by an ABVP office-bearer, an FIR was lodged against the Congress leader under Section 505(2) (statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at the Lanka police station in Varanasi on Friday night.

Rai has described the complaint against him as a 'sign of nervousness' on the part of the ABVP.

'This shows their nervousness. A probe in the matter will reveal who is involved in it (the molestation incident). The BHU has become a den of ABVP (members) who harbour outsiders,' he told PTI.

The alleged incident of molestation occurred on Wednesday night. According to the complainant, the student had gone out of her hostel with a friend when three men on a motorcycle forcibly took her to a corner and gagged her after separating her from her friend near the Karman Baba temple.

The accused then allegedly stripped the woman, made a video of her and took photos. They let her go after about 15 minutes and took her phone number, the complaint stated.

On the basis of the victim's complaint, an FIR has been registered under section 354 (assault or criminal force to a woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of the IPC and under provisions of the Information Technology Act at the Lanka police station.

Police are yet to make any arrest in the matter.