New Delhi: The University of Karachi administration on Wednesday formed a three-member committee to probe allegations of Hindu students being prevented from celebrating Holi on campus, according to a media report.
The development came after reports emerged that some students were prevented from celebrating the Hindu religious festival, prompting outrage on social media and condemnation from rights groups and activists, The Express Tribune reported.
A video clip was shared widely on social media in which Hindu students of the varsity could be heard accusing members of the Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba (IJT) students organisation of forcefully stopping them from celebrating Holi.
The students also alleged in the video that they were subjected to violence by IJT members, The Express Tribune reported.
In response to the allegations, Karachi University Vice Chancellor Khalid Iraqi said the university is committed to interfaith harmony.
“It is the only university in the country that has a mosque, a temple and a church. Our employees had celebrated Holi on the campus a day earlier,” he said.
Iraqi said that a group of students has requested permission to celebrate Holi on Thursday for which arrangements are being made.
Campus Security Advisor Mueez Khan claimed that no incident of violence against students had been reported in the security office, nor has any such incident been reported in the university clinic.
A similar incident was reported from the University of Punjab two days earlier when members of IJT, a right-wing student organisation, allegedly attacked Hindu students who had gathered in the varsity to celebrate Holi, The Express Tribune reported.
However, Punjab University administration denied that any such clash took place. It also ruled out that some students were injured, dismissing the reports of attack by IJT members on the Hindu students.
–IANS