Dalit student accuses MP university of harassment

A Dalit student pursuing M.Phil at the Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism and Communication here on Monday accused its authorities of harassing more than 100 students belonging to the weaker sections.

Mahesh Mamore, who belongs to a Scheduled Caste, said students from the Scheduled Castes and Tribes and other weaker sections were denied scholarship, HRA and other facilities and those demanding their rights were threatened.

He said he himself had not been given scholarship and house rent allowance since August 2015, after which he wrote to Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan and university vice chancellor on March 7 and threatened he would commit suicide if he was not paid his dues.

After his case came to light, Students Federation of India, All India Students Federation and other student bodies held a protest demonstration on the campus on Monday. Police later detained the protesting students.

Meanwhile, the university administration transferred three-month scholarship in Mahesh's bank account on Monday.

University proctor Lajpat Ahuja said the scholarship amount from the government had not yet arrived but still the university had transferred the money to Mahesh's account.