Former art student torches Gujarat varsity office, says didn’t get degree

The Sayajigunj police, which rushed to the spot on getting information about the fire, arrested Chandramohan. He said that his act was a result of his frustration about not having received his Masters degree since the past 11 years.

Former arts students torch Maharaja Sayajirao University (MSU) in Vadodara

A former Faculty of Fine Arts student at the Maharaja Sayajirao University (MSU) in Vadodara indulged in arson on the campus, setting on fire several cabins at the university head office.

A former Faculty of Fine Arts student at the Maharaja Sayajirao University (MSU) in Vadodara indulged in arson on the campus, setting on fire several cabins at the university head office. Srilamanthula Chandramohan, a former Masters student, later told police that he was “frustrated” about not having received his Masters degree for the past 11 years. Chandramohan arrived on campus around 5 pm, armed with petrol and a toy gun. He went to the MSU head office. Within minutes, flames erupted from the glass windows of the ground floor of the building. Chaos ensued as the staff — mostly clerical and from accounts department — who were wrapping up for the day tried to save important files. Guards on the campus, on being alerted, caught hold of Chandramohan, who did not appear to resist.

By the time fire tenders reached the spot, most of the university office’s ground floor had been completely gutted. The cabins of the Vice Chancellor, manager and the accounts department were among those destroyed. According to university officials, several computers, files and cash kept in the drawers of the accounts department were reduced to ashes.

The Sayajigunj police, which rushed to the spot on getting information about the fire, arrested Chandramohan. He said that his act was a result of his frustration about not having received his Masters degree since the past 11 years. A police official said, “He told us that he passed the Masters course in 2007 but the university has not handed over his certificate. He claims that his career has been affected as he does not have a Masters certificate. He said he made more than 25 petitions to the university in the past 11 years, but the certificate was not given to him. Today, as he approached the head office, he had decided to take an extreme step.”

MSU Registrar Neerja Jaiswal said her office was checking about Chandramohan’s complaint of not having received his degree certificate as the university “never holds back degrees for such a long period”. She said the extent of damage to the office was yet to be ascertained. Chandramohan was at the centre of a controversy in 2007, while he was pursuing his Master of Fine Arts degree in Graphics at MSU. He had faced the wrath of religious groups for “objectionable paintings” of Jesus Christ and Goddess Durga.

Various Christian organisations had taken out a rally in Vadodara to protest against Chandramohan’s art work that depicted Jesus on the holy cross in nude and a toilet commode placed under the cross. Hindu organisations, led by former VHP leader Niraj Jain, also protested against the public exhibition, which was part of the annual exam. They had filed a complaint against Chandramohan’s painting that showed a woman in nude with a baby attempting to come out of the vagina. The painting depicted the woman trying to attack the baby with a trident and was signed off as “Durga Maate”.

While Chandramohan had tried to explain his perspective about his artwork, the protesting religious groups did not relent. He was arrested and later released on May 14, 2007. Chandramohan has received national and international awards for his work, including the 49th Lalit Kala Akademi National Exhibition award in 2006, for his work, Remorse I.

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