All You Need To Know About the Lalit Kala Kendra ‘Ram Leela’ Controversy in Savitribai Phule Pune University

The Lalit Kala Kendra, situated on campus, was involved in a dispute when five students and the center director, Pravin Bhole, were arrested and then released on bail after ABVP members objected to a play (Ram Leela) that was performed on Friday night as part of a student exercise. Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), the BJP youth wing, organized a demonstration outside the historic building housing the institution on Saturday and damaged the signboard.

 Five students and a professor were arrested, and later released on bail.

Police reports on Saturday stated that a professor and five students from Pune University were taken into custody on suspicion of offending religious feelings through a play based on 'Ramleela,' which purportedly featured offensive speech and scenes. Students from Pune University's Lalit Kala Kendra and members of the RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) argued over the play performed on Friday night. The play centred on the behind-the-scenes mocking between actors playing different parts in 'Ramleela.' The police arrested the head of Lalit Kala Kendra Dr Pravin Bhole, including students Bhavesh Patil, Jay Pednekar, Prathamesh Sawant, Rishikesh Dalvi and Yash Chikhle under section 295(A) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The FIR claims that a male artist who played Sita in the performance used derogatory remarks and smoked a cigarette. According to the FIR, the artists attacked and heckled the ABVP members when they interrupted the play.

 Later the arrested members of Lalit Kala Kendra were presented before the First-Class Judicial Magistrate on Friday. The accused were in judicial custody and later released on bail. While Adv Shivam Potdar, Adv. Akshay Wadkar, Adv. Sonali Kanchan opposed the bail application in the court, Adv. Shivam Potdar said that the drama was deliberately shown to hurt Hindu religious sentiments and that some banned organizations were involved in it and the intention was to create riots.

 Right-wing aggressively opposed the play, BJYM and ABVP activists booked, University forms fact-finding committee.

 While the right-wing organizations aggressively opposed the play "Ramleela" being staged on Friday, a group connected to Bhartiya Janta Yuva Morcha (BJYM) broke into the cultural center on the university campus on Saturday night and damaged the property in addition to spraying black ink on the institute's board. A case has been filed under Sections 141, 143, 147 and 149 of the Indian Penal Code by the Chatuhshrungi police against ten to twelve Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) members for their alleged role in causing disturbance and damaging the Lalit Kala Kendra property at Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU). The accused Nikhil Shalimnkar, Shivam Balwadkar, Kiran Shinde, Sunny Memane, Pratik Kunjir, Dayanand Shinde and other five to six individuals have been booked.

 Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena Cine Workers Association (Chitrapat Sena) had written a letter to the Vice Chancellor of the SPPU demanding strict action against the students and the professor who organised the play. Pune city president of MNS Chitrapat Sena Chetan Dhotre and other activists had staged a protest and demanded an answer from the university. Accordingly, the university has formed a fact-finding committee under the chairmanship of a retired district judge Shreekrushna Panse, including actor Praveen Tarde. After receiving the report of this committee, it has been said that necessary administrative action will be taken immediately in this regard according to the rules.

 Chetan Dhotre while talking to LokmatTimes.com said, “The incident is a misuse of freedom of expression. People should understand that they are hurting religious sentiments, and this will not be tolerated. And only the Hindu gods are mocked every time, these actions will receive appropriate reactions.”

Liberals support Lalit Kala Kenra students and professor.

The People Union of Civil Liberties, Maharashtra State Sarva Shramik Mahasangha, Bhartiya Mahila Federation, Communist Party of India (CPIM) and other organisations have stood in support of the students and the professor of the Lalit Kala Kendra demanding that the police should take strict action against the organisation who assaulted the students and vandalized the property.

Police Sub-Inspector suspended.

Police sub-inspector Sachin Shankar Gadekar deployed at the Chatushrungi Police Station who was on duty at the time of the vandalism incident at Savitribai Phule Pune University's Lalit Kala Kendra was suspended by Pune Police Additional Commissioner Ranjan Kumar Sharma for negligence. On Saturday night, workers from the BJP Yuva Morcha and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad caused havoc on the Lalit Kala Kendra property. Gadekar has been accused of not immediately noticing the vandalism incident at the Fine Art Center of SPPU. Additionally, information was not promptly communicated to the control room, Senior Police Inspector, Khadki, Assistant Commissioner of Police, and Deputy Commissioner of Police which tarnished the image of the police.