All universities and higher education institutions in Uttar Pradesh, including medical and dental colleges, have been directed to set up anti-conversion and anti-radicalisation cells following an order from state governor Anandiben Patel, triggering a political row.
A letter dated May 28 from the governor’s secretariat, issued by Dr Sudhir M Bobde, Special Executive Officer to the Chancellor, directed vice chancellors and directors of all state universities and institutes to establish what it termed “Dharmantaran Roktham Cells,” or conversion prevention cells.
The reason he cited was reports of students allegedly being influenced through inducements, psychological pressure or other unethical means, according to the Hindustan Times and The Indian Express.
The letter states that any effort to influence students through “fear, mental pressure or unethical inducements for religious conversion is unacceptable, unethical and against the law,” and calls on institutions to maintain a “safe, religion-neutral and academic environment,” The Indian Express reported.
What universities must do
Among the measures outlined, institutions have been directed to activate anti-radicalisation units under student welfare cells, set up confidential counselling centres, place hostels and sensitive campus locations under stricter surveillance and prohibit entry of unauthorised outsiders.
Universities have also been asked to use mentor-mentee sessions and parent-teacher meetings to monitor student wellbeing, organise seminars on legal rights and moral values, and immediately alert local police if suspicious conversion-related activities are detected.
Background
The directive follows a series of cases linked to Lucknow‘s King George’s Medical University (KGMU), including the arrest of a junior resident doctor for alleged forced conversion and sexual exploitation, and an intern arrested for allegedly sexually exploiting a nursing student on a false promise of marriage. These cases have triggered allegations of “love jihad” on campus.
A senior KGMU faculty member told The Indian Express that a cell formed in the wake of last year’s incidents had already identified two instances of alleged forced conversion on campus, one involving a non-medico posing as a doctor to recruit girl students for medical camps. Police registered cases in both instances and made arrests, the official said.
Institutions respond
KGMU spokesperson Prof KK Singh said the university welcomed the order. “All directions issued by the Governor will be implemented in full, and the conversion prevention cell will function in accordance with the prescribed guidelines,” he told HT.
Prof CM Singh, director of Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, said the cell would be constituted in compliance with the directive. Lucknow University Vice-Chancellor Prof JP Saini and registrar Bhavana Mishra said the university would act on the order, while Prof JP Pandey, Vice-Chancellor of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Technical University, said the process of constituting the cell had already begun.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee Medical University (ABVMU), Lucknow, has separately directed all affiliated government and private medical, dental, nursing and allied healthcare institutions to comply with the advisory, with a follow-up letter issued on June 5 asking principals and directors to report action taken, The Indian Express reported.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) backed the directive as necessary to protect students from coercion. The Opposition Samajwadi Party, however, accused the government of ignoring more pressing challenges in higher education.
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