AMU suspends medicine professor for ‘hurting religious sentiments’

NEW DELHI: The Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) has suspended its medicine professor after issuing a show-cause notice to him for hurting the religious sentiments of students, staff and citizens by showing a slide on ‘mythical references of rape’.

"In view of the prima facie misconduct and seriousness of the matter, Dr Jitendra has been suspended from service till the completion of the investigation. Further action will be taken on the basis of reply to show cause notice issued to Dr. Kumar," AMU tweeted.

एएमयू ने डॉ जितेंद्र कुमार को किया निलंबित
प्रथम दृष्टया मिसकंडक्ट और मामले की गंभीरता को देखते हुए डा जितेंद्र को जांच पूरी होने तक सेवा से निलंबित कर दिया है
डा कुमार को जारी कारण बताओ नोटिस के जवाब के आधार पर आगे की कार्रवाई की जाएगी @PIBHRD @dpradhanbjp @ProfTariqManso1 @ANI pic.twitter.com/nSjresfllb

— Aligarh Muslim University (@AMUofficialPRO) April 6, 2022

“The Aligarh Muslim University administration and the Faculty of Medicine today strongly condemned the content of a slide on the mythical reference of rape and issued a show cause notice to Jitendra Kumar for hurting the religious sentiments of the students, staff and citizens,” AMU said in a tweet earlier.

The University has asked the professor to submit his reply in 24 hours. Meanwhile, Kumar has submitted an unconditional apology, said the AMU statement.

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AMU has also set up a two-member enquiry committee on the recommendation of Professor Rakesh Bhargava, Dean, Faculty of Medicine to look into the whole matter and suggest steps that this sort of incident does not recur.

According to some tweets, the content of the slideshow shown by AMU professor included story of Brahma raping her daughter, Lord Vishnu raping wife of King Jalandhar, etc., and also included slide on Nirbhaya rape case. The tweets also suggested that it was only after this slide leaked on social media that the university came to the decision of issuing show-cause notice to the professor. Sharing the slide, people had started reacting on Twitter.

AMU: Slide shown by professor containing mythical references of rape

A Supreme Court lawyer said in a tweet, “Hinduphobic and baseless contents taught at Aligarh Muslîm University. AMU issue show cause notice. Accused Jitendra Kumar responds by apologising and justifying. He must be booked and arrested without any delay and relevant sections of IPC imposed.”

Hinduphobic and baseless contents taught at Aligarh Muslîm University.

AMU issue show cause notice.

Accused Jitendra Kumar responds by apologising and justifying.

He must be booked and arrested without any delay and relevant sections of IPC imposed@Uppolice @myogiadityanath pic.twitter.com/QyNr0BmyUI

— Shashank Shekhar Jha (@shashank_ssj) April 6, 2022

A student community at AMU tweeted, “The unwarranted attempt to hurt the Hindu sentiments by an Assistant Professor of Medical College of AMU while taking second year MBBS classes in Forensic Studies is absolutely disgusting and insulting for the entire Hindu Community of AMU.”

The unwarranted attempt to hurt the Hindu sentiments by an Assistant Professor of Medical College of AMU while taking second year MBBS classes in Forensic Studies is absolutely disgusting and insulting for the entire Hindu Community of AMU. pic.twitter.com/CrDMFwmnzS

— AMU Hindu Community (@Hindus_Of_AMU) April 5, 2022

A Twitter user said, “Absolutely disgusting and objectionable! See what and how they have been teaching forensic medicine in AMU! Never had thought that they would demonise and insult majoritarian sentiments just to pursue their J!hadist hate Hindu agenda!!”

Absolutely disgusting and objectionable! ?
See what and how they have been teaching forensic medicine in AMU! Never had thought that they would demonise and insult majoritarian sentiments just to pursue their J!hadist hate Hindu agenda!! #MedTwitter pic.twitter.com/OvaaOrlUXD

— Dr. Jitendra Nagar (@NagarJitendra) April 6, 2022