The IIT Bombay administration is organising a series of events on campus related to the Ram temple ceremony in Uttar Pradesh on January 22.
They have granted permission for the “Shriram darbar shobha yatra” procession on January 21, with a corresponding poster displayed on campus.
Also, a musical event titled “Ramdhun,” inspired by the Geet Ramayan, is scheduled for January 20 at the IDC auditorium within the campus, as per a communication from the PRO of IIT Bombay.
In response to these developments, the Ambedkar Periyar Phule Study Circle, IIT Bombay, expressed concern, stating that the institute seems to be aligning with Hindutva political forces, compromising its commitment to secularism in the Indian Constitution. They emphasized the contradiction between recent claims of being apolitical and the alleged use of guidelines to cancel academic talks and gatherings.
The group condemned what they perceive as the institute’s submission to right-wing political forces while suppressing activities of independent student collectives.
Furthermore, it was noted that IIT Bombay’s Director, Subhasis Chaudhuri, will be inaugurating a Goshala (Cow Shelter) on January 22.
The consecration ceremony of Ram temple at Ayodhya is scheduled to take place on Monday, January 22.
The temple stands where the Babri Masjid, which was torn down by a mob of Hindu nationalists on December 6, 1992, earlier stood.
The construction began after the Supreme Court of India on 9 November 2019 ordered the entire land to be allocated for the temple, granting amnesty to the perpetrators of the demolition.
