Suspended dean joins students146; protests

Suspended Dean of the Arts Faculty of M S University Shivaji Panikkar, who refused to stop an exhibition of controversial paintings, on Thursday joined students protesting disciplinary action against him and demanding arrest of a local BJP leader.

Addressing the students outside the main gate of the university, Panikkar, who has been barred from entering the university after his suspension on May 11, threatened to go on a hunger strike if the suspension against him was not revoked and cases against student Chandra Mohan, whose paintings sparked the row, were not withdrawn. He said he had apologised after coming to know that the paintings by the student had hurt the religious sentiments of several people.