Modi tells students to dream big as protests mar Kashi visit
Protests and demonstrations marred the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was here on Monday to attend the centenary year convocation of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) and Sant Ravidas birth anniversary celebrations.
Even as Modi, while speaking at the convocation, called upon students and researchers to find solutions to the various problems and challenges that the world was facing, about 50 protestors, belonging to different organisations, were taken into custody briefly when they shouted slogans against the PM near the BHU gate.
Modi told the students: “Dream big and live for them because those who nurture big dreams give something to the world.”
He added: “Never let the student in you wither away and keep your curiosity alive. Curiosity brings innovations which strengthen development. Always be happy, enjoy your work and think of making innovations in order to give something to the world.”
Meanwhile, a student was slapped by an unidentified person when he began shouting slogans during the convocation.
Earlier, some people shouted slogans against the prime minister near the Ravidas temple because a top seer was stopped from entering the temple while Modi offered prayers inside.
During his January 22 visit to Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University in Lucknow for the varsity’s convocation, the prime minister faced protest by a few students over the Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula suicide issue.
Before the PM arrived at BHU, black-ribbon sporting protesters, belonging to Bharatiya Vidyarthi Morcha (BVM), Bharatiya Yuva Morcha (BYM) and Bharatiya Berozgar Morcha (BBM), alleged that Modi was not doing anything for the unemployed youths.
They also demanded action against those responsible for the death of Vemula at the University of Hyderabad. “People are facing various problems like inflation. But Modi keeps roaming around the world. He doesn’t have time to solve the problems of the peo- ple,” an activist, who refused to be named, said. Besides, the PM had turned a blind eye to the death of Vemula, he alleged. The protestors were taken into custody and sent to the Reserve Police Lines.
Sanjiv Kumar Mishra, station officer of Lanka police station, said, “They were taken into custody because they were not ready to call off their demonstration, despite repeated efforts by the police.”
Never let the student in you wither away and keep your curiosity alive. Curiosity brings innovations which strengthen development
NARENDRA MODI, PM
At the convocation, Ashutosh Singh, a student, started shouting slogans demanding the revival of the students union, as soon as the PM finished his speech. While an unidentified person slapped him, police soon took him away from the convocation venue. “The students’ union has been defunct since 1997. Students here are suppressed and not allowed to raise their voice,” Singh said.
Earlier, near the Ravidas temple some people shouted slogans against Modi when he was offering prayers at the shrine. The protestors here said that Sant Niranjan Das, chief priest of the Ravidassia sect, was stopped at the gate and asked to wait for some time. They continued their protest even after Modi left the temple.