Udaipur: Mohanlal Sukhadia University (MLSU) in Udaipur has witnessed two consecutive days of protests after Vice-Chancellor Sunita Mishra allegedly described Mughal emperor Aurangzeb as a “capable administrator” and “skilled ruler” during an academic seminar.
On Tuesday, agitating students of ABVP escalated their protest by locking the channel gate of the Vice-Chancellor’s chamber from outside. They staged a sit-in on the campus, chanted slogans against the VC, and disrupted welcoming arrangements at the hotel management college when they heard she was visiting. Later, they moved to the arts college, where afternoon exams were scheduled, and demanded the exams be stopped, as per a report by the India Times.
Protesters also pasted posters with Mishra’s photo around the administrative building, smearing them with black ink and inscribing “Boycott Vice-Chancellor.” Some student leaders even wrote a letter to the Governor using their own blood, urging Mishra’s removal to “protect the honour of Mewar.”
Police teams led by Sukher SHO Ravindra Charan and Savina SHO Ajay Singh Rao remained stationed at the university. Additional SP (City) Umesh Ojha and ADM Dipendra Singh also reached the spot to negotiate with the students, but the protesters stood firm in their demand for the VC’s ouster.
The BJP city district general secretary, Pankaj Gorana, also condemned the VC’s remark, calling it unacceptable “on the land of Maharana Pratap.”
In response, Sunita Mishra issued a clarification stating her words had been misinterpreted and taken out of context, stressing that she did not glorify Aurangzeb.
Observers note that while historical figures can be debated in academia, if calling a person “capable” or “just” leads to discrimination based on religion, it is very harmful for the nation.
