Pune: Permit for talk on Constitution by retired judge cancelled

Members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) gathered at the spot to protest the lecture, stating that Kolse Patil was accused of harassment and other cases against him were being probed. As tension between the student groups increased, the college administration informed the police who came to the campus. Protesting students alleged that the event was cancelled despite them seeking permission on January 10 and booking the amphitheatre for a fee of Rs 1,000.

Sunil Jadhav, one of the student organisers, said they got permission from the college principal. But he alleged that the lecture was cancelled an hour before it was to begin.

“They give permission to speakers such as Subramaniam Swamy and other political persons, then why not a retired judge who speaks on the subject of the Indian Constitution? What is wrong with the subject or the event? When we sought permission well in advance, why cancel it?” he asked.

The ABVP members said Patil was delivering the lecture despite the college cancelling the event. “Since there were allegations of harassment against him, we were not in favour of him delivering a lecture on the college campus. There are other cases being probed against him as well. When we came to know that he was going ahead despite the college cancelling permission, we reached the spot because being a retired judge he should respect the rules and not try creating a political atmosphere on a college campus where students come to study,” said Anil Thombare, the secretary of the Pune unit of the ABVP.

On behalf of the college authorities, Sharad Kunte, the president of the Deccan Education Society, said: “A certain portion of the college campus is currently under litigation and the amphitheatre comes within that area. Hence, we have certain restrictions on conducting programmes there since the matter is subjudice. The organising students were informed that they cannot hold the event there, but can do it in any other hall of the college and we invited them to discuss it but they did not come for talks.”

Speaking to the media, Kolse Patil said he received an invitation from the college principal. “I was invited for delivering a talk on the Constitution. I was never informed that the programme has been cancelled, so I went to the college and addressed the students who had gathered. The ABVP activists were shouting slogans at a distance, but that did not disturb us. The police were at the spot.”