Odisha college expels 7 students over alleged beef incident amid Hindutva pressure
Bhubaneswar: Under pressure from Hindutva goons, a prominent government-run technical institute in Odisha has expelled seven students from their hostels for allegedly cooking and eating beef.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the incident reportedly occurred in Falguni Hostel at Berhampur’s Parala Maharaja Engineering College (PMEC). According to The Wire, five of the expelled students belong to a particular community.
The expulsion followed a complaint lodged by Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad activists, who accused the students of cooking and consuming beef in their hostel room. The college administration acted swiftly after the complaint, meeting demands from Hindutva activists, including Principal Professor Chittaranjan Mohanty. However, there has been no confirmation from the college authorities on whether the meat in question was indeed beef.
The Gopalpur police conducted a preliminary inquiry, but it has yet to verify if the students actually cooked and ate beef.
The decision has stirred confusion among local intellectuals and residents of Berhampur. Many believe the college authorities acted excessively under external pressure.
Dr. Siba Prasad Das, a well-known surgeon in Berhampur, expressed surprise at the college’s actions, while Hrushikesh Rath, a local hospitality industry professional, criticized the lack of concrete evidence before taking punitive measures.
Political analyst Sabita Mohanty warned that incidents like these could strengthen the saffron influence in the region. She stressed the need for college authorities to base their actions on evidence rather than succumbing to external pressures or biases.
