‘Parody of historical figures, legends wrong, condemnable’: Pune University apologises for Ram Leela play; arrested students, HoD get bail

Organised by Pune University’s Lalit Kala Kendra, officially the Centre for Performing Arts, the play was based on the backstage chatter of actors who perform various roles in ‘Ramleela’.

Head of Lalit Kala Kendra and professor of Theatre Arts in the university since 1997 Dr Pravin Dattatraya Bhole, five students were arrested namely, Bhavesh Rajendra Patil, Jay Pedanekar, Prathamesh Savant, Hrushikesh Dalvi, Yash Chikhale. Patil wrote and directed the play while the other students were its actors.

Police said the six were booked under Sections 295 A (insulting religious beliefs), 294 (obscene acts and songs), 143/149 (unlawful assembly), 147 (punishment for rioting), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), among others, of the Indian Penal Code and the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003.

According to the FIR, in the drama, the dialogues of Sita, played by a male actor, contained “objectionable and abusive” words. The actor was also seen smoking on the stage, it alleged. When Harpude and some others raised objections, they were allegedly manhandled by the actors and other Lalit Kala Kendra students, the FIR added.

Police produced the six accused persons before a court in Pune in the afternoon. The court remanded them to magesterial custody. Subsequently, the accused applied for bail.

Harpude’s lawyer Shivam Potdar argued that bail should be denied for the accused, claiming there was a possibility of inciting violence by hurting sentiments through the objectionable play. But the court granted bail to the accused. “Accused have been asked to report to the police station twice a week,” said Potdar.

A press release made by the university stated the official version of events. It said, “Some of the content/speech in the presentation of the said drama is seen to be objectionable. It is understood that there was a verbal argument between the students regarding this. After this the security personnel intervened and the police were called and a complaint filed. Legal action is being taken by the police administration. It is the role of the university to ensure that no one takes the law into their own hands.”

Balaji Misal, a student of the Defence and Strategic Studies Department of SPPU, told The Indian Express Jab We Met was the third of the student plays lined up for Friday night.

“The play is about a group of Ramleela actors who are dressed up in the characters of Ram, Sita, Laxman and Ravan, and are waiting in the dressing room for another actor to join them. The conversation that is being called objectionable was set in the dressing room where the actors are talking amongst themselves,” Misal said.

Giving details, he added: “After a few scenes, some people from the audience started raising objections and calling for the play to stop. It was dark and chaotic and amidst that, the people who were objecting rushed to the stage and attacked the students on stage. The HoD could be seen trying to intervene but to no avail. Soon the guards called the police and everyone was taken to the station,” he said.

The university has formed a fact finding committee headed by a retired district judge to investigate the matter. “Parody of any person, legend or historical figure is completely wrong and prohibited,” the university stated in its press release.

On Saturday evening, a group of protesters linked to the BJP defaced the sign-board of the Centre for Performing Arts by smearing ink on it. A huge police force was then deployed in the SPPU premises to prevent law and order situation.

Pro Vice Chancellor Parag Kalkar said that the university is awaiting clarification from the department head. He said, “We do not yet know whether this was a practice or a practical. We also need to find out why so many people were invited for this session.”