Freedom vs faith: IIT Bombay slaps penalties up to ₹1.2 lakh on students over play mocking Ramayana
Jun 20, 2024, 15:07 IST
IIT Bombay has slapped fines up to ₹1.2 lakh on eight students for their roles in the controversial play 'Raahovan,' which was staged during the institute's Performing Arts Festival (PAF) on March 31. The play, which is supposedly a parody of the Ramayana, stirred the pot by allegedly mocking Hindu beliefs and deities.
The performance, presented at the open-air theatre on the IIT Bombay campus during its annual cultural fest, ignited a storm. With character names slightly altered, the play depicted lead characters in unflattering lights—abusing each other and, controversially, featuring the female protagonist lauding the antagonist.
This portrayal ruffled feathers among viewers, who took it as a denigration of cultural and religious values, cloaked under a banner of feminism. Complaints quickly followed from students who believed the play undermined their cultural ethos.
These grievances prompted a disciplinary committee to convene on May 8. Fast forward to June 4, and the verdict was out: hefty fines and penalties. Graduating students were hit with ₹1.2 lakh fines each—nearly equivalent to a semester's tuition—and stripped of their gymkhana awards. Juniors faced a ₹40,000 fine each and were evicted from hostel privileges. With the deadline set for July 20, 2024, non-compliance promises even stiffer penalties.
The controversy gained a digital footprint when the 'IIT B for Bharat' group criticised the play on April 8 via social media, branding it a mockery of Lord Ram and the Ramayana. Their posts, complete with video excerpts from the performance, accused the production of abusing academic liberty to satirise sacred figures.
Campus opinion split down the middle. Some hailed the institute's move as justified, while others saw it as a crackdown on creative expression. Some even expressed concern that universities, traditionally seen as havens for free speech, appear to be losing their safe spaces for such expression—even at IITs.
The debate around 'Raahovan' underscores a persistent friction between the realms of artistic freedom and religious sensitivity. As IIT Bombay proceeds with its disciplinary measures, the campus community remains polarised, mirroring broader societal debates on how to balance expression and respect for deeply held beliefs.
(With inputs from The Economic Times and Times News Network)
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The performance, presented at the open-air theatre on the IIT Bombay campus during its annual cultural fest, ignited a storm. With character names slightly altered, the play depicted lead characters in unflattering lights—abusing each other and, controversially, featuring the female protagonist lauding the antagonist.
This portrayal ruffled feathers among viewers, who took it as a denigration of cultural and religious values, cloaked under a banner of feminism. Complaints quickly followed from students who believed the play undermined their cultural ethos.
These grievances prompted a disciplinary committee to convene on May 8. Fast forward to June 4, and the verdict was out: hefty fines and penalties. Graduating students were hit with ₹1.2 lakh fines each—nearly equivalent to a semester's tuition—and stripped of their gymkhana awards. Juniors faced a ₹40,000 fine each and were evicted from hostel privileges. With the deadline set for July 20, 2024, non-compliance promises even stiffer penalties.
The controversy gained a digital footprint when the 'IIT B for Bharat' group criticised the play on April 8 via social media, branding it a mockery of Lord Ram and the Ramayana. Their posts, complete with video excerpts from the performance, accused the production of abusing academic liberty to satirise sacred figures.
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The debate around 'Raahovan' underscores a persistent friction between the realms of artistic freedom and religious sensitivity. As IIT Bombay proceeds with its disciplinary measures, the campus community remains polarised, mirroring broader societal debates on how to balance expression and respect for deeply held beliefs.
(With inputs from The Economic Times and Times News Network)