Pune: Members of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, youth wing of the BJP, vandalised a Bangladesh food stall during a cultural event at a private university in Pune and set the country’s national flag on fire.
The incident took place during the World Cultural Festival organised at MIT World Peace University. Students from different countries had set up food stalls as part of the event. According to a student quoted in media reports, those who attacked the stall were not students of the institution. The student said the group targeted Bangladeshi students who had organised the stall, while watchmen present did not intervene.
A BJYM office bearer confirmed the incident. Pune city BJYM president Dushyant Mohol said the trouble began after some local students objected to the display of the Bangladesh flag, citing Dhaka’s current anti India stand. He stated that when the students at the stall put up another flag instead of removing it, members of the group ransacked the stall and burned the flag.
Videos circulating online show men damaging the stall and raising slogans against Bangladesh. On the following day, BJYM members allegedly painted the Bangladesh flag on a road, stepped on it and raised slogans.
Kothrud police station Senior Inspector Sandip Deshmane said police are probing the matter. The university has not yet filed a formal complaint regarding the vandalism.
The episode has raised concern among students over campus safety and respect for international participants.
