Date:14/07/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/07/14/stories/2007071458560800.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Lecturer’s comment triggers trouble in college

Staff Reporter

A student raises objection saying it hurt her religious sentiments

— Photo: Satish. H

Raging row: Students of St. Anns College protesting against a remark by a lecturer on writer Salman Rushdie in Hyderabad on Friday.

HYDERABAD: A lecturer’s reported comment on writer Salman Rushdie in a political science class sparked off a controversy in St. Ann’s college for women with the students agitating here at Mehdipatnam on Friday.

Though the lecturer Prashanti later apologised for hurting the sentiments of some students with her comment, the incident took a serious turn when a student lodged a complaint with the Asifnagar police.

West Zone DCP N. Madhusudhan Reddy said they were questioning the lecturer and are yet to decide on registering a case.

Al-Qaeda

Ms. Prashanti was talking about Mr. Rushdie and a newspaper report referring to terrorist outfit Al-Qaeda in the B.A. second year class. But when the topic drifted towards religion, a student raised objection alleging the lecturer’s comment hurt her religious sentiments. The students then approached college Principal Fatima Rani and complained that the lecturer’s remark was objectionable.

“The lecturer apologised to the students after I summoned her. But someone rang up the press which rushed to the college making it a big issue,” the Principal explained.

Meanwhile, MIM MLAs Afsar Khan and Syed Ahmed Pasha Quadri, TRS MLC Rahman and TDP leader Shabaz Khan, accompanied by their supporters, came to the college. Parents of the students too rushed to the college as some TV news channels began running scrolls about tension building up in the college.

Police had to rush additional forces, including a women contingent of Rapid Action Force, and appeal to the media not to air news without confirming them. Angered over police not registering the case, the students started raising slogans. The Principal, however, maintained that the students were convinced with the apology of the lecturer. “This was a minor incident and we will ensure such incidents do not recur,” she said.