A day after a video clip of a skit insulting B R Ambedkar and the scheduled caste community went viral, the Jain Deemed-to-be University on Saturday suspended several students even as an FIR was registered by Siddapura police in Jayanagar against the principal and other senior officials of the university.
The atrocity complaints have been filed against the management and students of the university at several police stations across the state with some groups staging protests in front of the university campus.
The skit, staged during the university's 'Youth Fest', repeatedly mocks the scheduled community and insults Ambedkar, the complaints said, calling for action against the college authorities.
Video clips of the skit show characters calling B R Ambedkar 'Beer Ambedkar', making fun of the scheduled caste community and ridiculing the members of the community for utilising the reservation system.
Interestingly, the first complaint against the skit was filed in Maharashtra.
Following a complaint filed in Maharashtra, social activists and workers of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) filed a complaint in various police stations across the state. At Bangalore University, postgraduate students and research fellows filed a complaint with the Jnanabharati police station. It was not clear how many FIRs were registered.
As explained by Ha Ra Mahesh, General Secretary BSP Karnataka, a team of students from the Management Studies Department of the Jain Deemed-to-be University performed a skit during the Youth Fest held on February 5 and 6 at their Bengaluru campus. "In the skit, they insulted Dr Ambedkar, glorified untouchability and insulted Schedule Caste community," he said.
In a viral video of the skit performed by students, a student says they are presenting Dr B R Ambedkar and immediately another performer says, "B R Ambedkar? Hey No No No, Beer Ambedkar."
Further in the skit, one of the characters says, "Why be a Dalit when you can the Lit". When talking about dating, one character says, "On a date, she (the girl) did not let me eat from the same plate."
In a dialogue ridiculing the scheduled caste community over reservation, one character states, "Girlfriend asked him how he arrived here so fast? He says, 'Hey baby it's because I am from the Schedule Caste'."
The character also sings a song to make fun of the social evil of untouchability, 'Don't touch me, touch me touch me". The character adds, "He tried to join the Army, but there also he could not become a general."
Among some other dialogues were the following: "Upper caste Michel is coming riding in his Cycle." "You hey Dalit don't touch that water, you don't get a drop, forget about making a quarter." "I feel like a son of god and want to sing a bhajan. Now I understand why Gandhiji called us harijan, you will get what you deserve just like how my college seat is already reserved."
Speaking to DH, Mahesh said, "This is not only insensitive but intentional assault. We want to know who wrote the script. They have used the word Harijana, insulted Dr Ambedkar, spoke cheaply about the reservation system and targeted one particular community. So we are filing a case under The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) act."
Students apologised on their Instagram page, but they should apologise in public and must face legal action, he said.
When contacted, a spokesperson from the Jain Deemed To be University said the Disciplinary Committee will conduct an inquiry and initiate action against students.