Hyderabad: Students of Srikrishnadevaraya University in Andhra Pradesh protested against the controversial circular released by the varsity about conducting special religious rituals to stop the ‘untimely’ deaths of its employees.
The protesting students, who are also members of the Student Federation of India (SFI) urged that the universities should be a place of scientific temperament and avoid the promotion of superstitious beliefs.
Protesting against the practice on the university premises, several students reportedly submitted a petition to the vice-chancellor (VC), condemning the move to seek monetary contributions from the employees.
The circular issued by the university registrar MV Lakshmaiah, on the directions of the Vice-Chacellor Professor M Ramakrishna Reddy, stated that the homam is proposed to be performed on February 24 at 8.30 am at SK University Kreeda Vedhika ‘to have the blessings of the Almighty to all the employees and students of the university.
The circular arrived after five staff members working in different departments of the university died owing to health issues last month.
The circular soon went viral following which the VC of the varsity held that performing the ritual would eliminate the curse the employees bore.
“I used my own money for it. Some employees said that they want to contribute as well. So we decided on an amount and released a circular. There was no compulsion to give money,” said the registrar.
The Registrar requested the employees who were willing to to participate in the Homam to contribute a minimum of Rs 500.
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