Prof. B .P Mahesh Chandra Guru had made critical comments on the role of Rama in human rights protection when he delivered a talk in January 2015 at Academic Staff College, University of Mysore. He had ridiculed the behavior of Rama when he sent Sita to forest mercilessly and neglected his own children. It was indeed a matter of freedom of speech and expression. Mr.Ravishankar, President of Karunada Sene, an outsider had registered a complaint at the behest of Hindu fundamentalists against Prof. Guru under IPC section 295A which deals with hurting the religious sentiments. In fact, Prof. Guru had not hurt anybody’s religious sentiments. In another occasion, Prof.Guru had stated that Bhagavadgita was a symbol of inequality and called upon the people to follow the Constitution of India which aims at creating a welfare state.
Another member of Vishwa Hindu Parishat had filed a complaint under IPC section 295A. Prof. Guru had appeared before the IV Addl. I Civil Judge and JMFC, Mysore after receiving summons along with an advocate and surety. The court had objected to absence of Prof.Guru after issue of two summons. In fact, Prof.Guru had not received the summons and appeared for the hearing on 17-06-2016. The court could have granted bail since he explained the reasons for not attending the court. Unfortunately, he was subjected to judicial custody during June 17-24, since the court had not given bail. He was granted bail in respect of these two cases on 22-06-2016 and 24-06-2016 respectively by the court of law. The University of Mysore has taken the issue of judicial custody as the basis for suspension. In the suspension order the Competent Authority has also raised another irrelevant issue of my criticism of the style of functioning of Prime Minister, HRD Minister and the degradation of the post of Vice Chancellor in other Universities. Prof. Guru had made fair comments with a view to facilitate healthy public debate on these significant issues in accordance with the thoughts and deeds of Ambedkar, Lohia, Periyar, Kuvempu and other noble scholars and statesmen. He had not used derogatory and foul language on the present Vice Chancellor of University of Mysore. He had also issued the most suitable clarification to this issue on 24-03-2016, to the University of Mysore. Recently, the Registrar of Mysore University has stated in The Hindu and other leading newspapers dated 24-06-2016 that the suspension can be revoked only after Prof.Guru secures the bail and is released from judicial custody which is not a punishment.
Prof. Guru had submitted a representation to the Registrar, University of Mysore to revoke his suspension order and enable him to serve the University of Mysore by upholding democratic norms, fundamental rights and human rights enshrined in the Constitution of India. Surprisingly, the University has not revoked the suspension order till date and violated human rights of Prof.B.P Mahesh Chandra Guru. All progressive and right thinking persons across the globe sincerely condemn the unlawful judicial custody and suspension of Prof.B.P Mahesh Chandra Guru and request his suspension order to be revoked.
Signatories
Harohalli Ravindra, Writer
Hucchangi Prasad, Writer
Indrani, Activist
Dileep Narasaiah, Researcher and writer
Guru Murthy, Dalit Student Federation
Chornahalli Shivanna, DSS Activist
Raghottama Hoba, Writer
Shanta Raj, President, Dalit Welfare Trust
Yogesh Master, Writer and Director
Dhananjaya, Columnist
Prajwal Shashi, Writer
Prof Shabir Musthafa, SDPI
Puttananjaiah, SDPI
Rakesh NSOUY
K S Shivram, President Karnataka BC Federation
Srinivas D, Social Activist
Sridhar Gowda, Publisher
Anu Ramdas, Round Table India
Tharakeshwar V.B
Bhanu Pratap Singh, Round Table India
Akshay Pathak, Writer
Kuffir Nalgundwar, Round Table India
Sweta Yadav, Writer, Round Table India (Hindi)
Pallavi Rao, PhD Student
Shathir Puthalath, Student
Cynthia Stephen, Independent journalist and activist
Dr. Ambrose Pinto SJ, Principal, St. Aloysius Degree College, Bangalore
Umi Sinha, writer and Lecturer in Creative Writing at Brighton University, UK
Animesh Bahadur
Venkatraman Divakar
Kishor Bhat, Researcher Bangalore
Nivedita Nath, Student
Dr Sylvia Karpagam
Please add your name in the comments section to support.
