A seminar on the topic ‘Indian Constitution and Education’ was organized by ‘Citizen’s Forum, Odisha’ on Sunday, February 12, 2023 at Utkal University campus, in which Professor Surjit Mazumdar of JNU, Delhi, was invited to speak on the topic. Prof. Mazumdar maliciously presented the distorted facts related to the Constitution of India and deliberately promoted and incited caste violence, disharmony and hatred. It is important to mention here that the permission to organize this program was taken by someone else and the event was organized by ‘Citizen’s forum,Odisha’, which makes their ulterior ill motive behind the program more evident .
The Utkal University Alumni objected to the maliciously distorted facts; instead of responding to them with factually correct arguments the Leftist Professors, AIFCTO leader Surendra Jena and some other anti-social elements resorted to violence. The former students of the university were beaten up badly and were threatened for their life and other dire consequences by the leftist goons.
After this incident, on Sunday evening, ABVP activists and students of Utkal University took out a Tiranga Yatra to protest against the violence and spread of caste hatred. Such an attempt to create caste disharmony under the veil of a seminar, presenting distorted facts in order to fulfil hidden agendas and inciting violence are highly condemnable.
ABVP state secretary Arijit Patnaik said, “ABVP opposes any attempt to make any college or university campus in the state a center of caste disharmony. The incident of violence in Utkal University is unfortunate, which should be investigated in an unbiased manner. Such attempts to mislead students and create caste divide by presenting distorted facts should be immediately stopped. No ABVP activist was involved in any way in the unfortunate leftist violence that erupted in Utkal University.”