Unrecognized people on Friday defaced the door of the church inside Delhi University’s renowned St. Stephens College scribbling a slogan that said, “Mandir yahin banega” (The temple will be constructed right here). The church cross outside the church door was also defaced. Sources mentioned and after noticing the pro-Hindutva slogan on Friday, work had begun get it removed. Since regular classes have long been suspended, students are not found frequently around class premises.
A student from St. Stephen’s said, “Some students had already noticed the graffiti on Friday, but I noticed it when I was out for an early morning jog on Saturday. After a while, I saw that the staff had started to remove the slogans. By Saturday afternoon, all signs of the slogans were gone.”
While the door of the church read “Mandir yahin banegaa” (The temple will be constructed right here), the cross outside the church door read “I’m going to hell” written on them.
Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) President Rocky Tuseed expressed concern over the matter and planned to raise the issue with higher authorities.
“There is an attempt to divide students of the country along religious lines. The same script of Aligarh Muslim University (where an 80-year-old portrait of Pakistan founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah created a controversy) is playing out here as well,” Tuseed remarked.
‚ÄúSt Stephen’s College has been a shining beacon in granting excellent quality education to students and has played a pivotal role in shaping young minds that have gone to positively influence policy making decisions. Such an incident brings harm to the very fabric of the institution and to the spirit of the idea of India for which it stands. This incident is condemnable and strict actions should be taken against those who are found guilty,‚Äù Congress led National Students Union of India remarked.
BJP run ABVP’s Delhi state secretary, Bharat Kumar, said, ‚ÄúWhoever is responsible for this must be brought to book. ABVP condemns this act of vandalism.‚Äù
In the midst of unending controversies over nationalism and anti-nationalism, Hinduism and Islamization, anti-Christian sentiments seem arising within Delhi’s top most institutions. Vandalism has long been the strongest tool for expressing discontent, but what consequences it holds for the students of Delhi University is a spree yet to be witnessed.
