Skit row: 7 Jain varsity students among 9 held

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: A controversial skit presented by a group of students at a fest organised by Jain University, continued to create ripples with the city police on Monday detaining nine people including seven students of the varsity in connection with the allegedly derogatory remarks made about Dr BR Ambedkar while playing the skit. Various Dalit organizations had vehemently opposed the skit condemning the act by students.

They had demanded the cancellation of the university's license with FIRs lodged against the principal and other authorities for the remarks. The Siddapura police are interrogating the students, who are pursuing fifth semester BBA at the university. Apart from this, several complaints were lodged at different police stations.

It all happened on February 8 when the students while presenting the skit at NIMHANS Convention Centre, allegedly used derogatory words to describe Dr Ambedkar. The matter came to light after a video of the skit went viral. After a backlash from Dalit organisations, the university suspended the students and also set up a disciplinary committee to probe the matter.

Social Welfare officer Madhusudan said that a complaint has been lodged by the Social Welfare Department against the principal, dean, organizers of the programme, the students who staged the skit and also the writer.