Fergusson College row: 'Anti-national' word an 'error', principal does u-turn

Pune: Less than 24 hours after writing to the police for taking action against those who allegedly raised 'anti-national slogans' in premises of Pune's Fergusson College campus, the principal has retracted the letter saying it was a 'typo error'.

Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activists and some students from Left organisations on Tuesday had heated arguments during an 'informal' discussion organised by the ABVP on 'Truth of JNU' at the Fergusson College campus. ABVP's Jawaharlal Nehru University unit's president Alok Singh was also present during the event.

Read: 'Anti-national' slogans in Pune's Fergusson College, principal demands action

However, stating that the word 'anti-national' was included in the letter due to a printing error, the principal has retracted the letter.

In a letter dated March 22, 2016, Ravindra Pardeshi, Principal of the college had urged Senior Police Inspector of Deccan Gymkhana Police station to take action against those who raised 'anti-national slogans'.

Police, who eventually intervened and dispersed the crowd, said that some students from Left groups reached the spot and started arguing with the ABVP members which led to angry exchanges and slogan-shouting.

"The college had denied permission and still ABVP organised the program at a time when the examinations are going on," said a student from an Ambedkarite group.

But ABVP members said they sought permission, but as it was an informal discussion, the college authorities said the permission was not needed.

Principal of Ferguson College had also said no permission had been granted to ABVP.

The ABVP later staged another discussion at the Ranade Institute of Journalism. The institute authorities did not allow them in at first, so the ABVP members and the institute students started the discussion sitting on two sides of the gate.

Later they were allowed to have a discussion inside the campus.