Seven students detained for reciting Hanuman Chalisa near mosque on college premises in Varanasi

PTC Web Desk: Seven students were briefly detained by the police in Varanasi after they recited Hanuman Chalisa near a mosque situated on the premises of Uday Pratap College. This incident occurred when their fellow students were offering namaz at the same location, the police confirmed on Wednesday.

Vivekanand Singh, a student leader from the college, claimed that the recitation was a form of protest against "outsiders" who were allegedly gathering at the mosque to offer prayers. "We have no issue with students offering namaz or worshipping in the mosque or temple on the college premises. However, we do not accept outsiders gathering here under the guise of offering namaz," he said.

Vidush Saxena, Additional Commissioner of Police in Varanasi Cantt, said the students were determined to recite Hanuman Chalisa near the mosque on Tuesday. "The police intervened to defuse the situation and sent the students back. Seven students were detained but were released later that evening," Saxena said.

In response to a notice issued in 2018, the college's principal, DK Singh, explained that the mosque on the campus had been donated to the Waqf Board by the Nawab of Tonk. The notice claimed the land to be Waqf property. The college administration, however, maintained that the mosque was constructed illegally, as the property belongs to the college trust and cannot be sold or bought. In 2022, the college administration had filed a complaint, leading to a halt in construction work at the mosque.