Gujarat: After Attack on Foreign Students in Campus, VC Says They Should be Culturally 'Sensitised'

New Delhi: Following the attack in Ahmedabad on foreign students for performing namaz on March 16, the statement by Gujarat University Vice Chancellor, shifting onus on the “cultural sensitivity” of those attacked, has sparked controversy. In an interview with Indian Express, Vice Chancellor  Neerja Gupta, said the attack wasn't 'triggered only by namaz' and she believed that the issue was more 'cultural' than religious.

While mentioning the 'cultural' differences, Gupta said that Gujaratis were mainly vegetarian and foreign students consume non-vegetarian food and perhaps threw leftovers on the streets, which could attract dogs etc.

She emphasised that foreign students should be 'mentored' to understand the local culture to 'remain safe'. She further said that 'only namaz' cannot be the point of contention as "We are not so insensitive or intolerant to someone offering namaz".

Recall that on March 16, a video on social media showed some locals attacking the university hostel where foreign students stay. Reportedly, the locals were against some students from Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Sri Lanka and African countries, who were offering namaz in an open area inside the hostel premises. The students' rooms were vandalised. The police have arrested several people for the attack, reported the Hindustan Times. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) also stepped in. In a  statement, the MEA acknowledged the incident and noted that the “State government is taking strict action against the perpetrators.”

In the interview, the VC said that the university should try to increase 'cultural sensitivity' in foreign students. She accepted that earlier there used to be such programmes that had now stopped. The students were given handbooks to help them interact with locals; they were familiarised with festivals like Holi and Diwali.