A dispute between a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA and a senior official of state-run Ravenshaw University escalated on Wednesday, university wardens demanded an apology from the legislator over alleged misconduct while the MLA sought action against the official.

On Wednesday, members of the Ravenshaw University Wardens’ Association held a march on the campus. (Representative Photo/HT Photo)

The conflict stems from a meeting convened on Monday to resolve an indefinite hunger strike by students of the university’s East hostel, who have been demanding the removal of deputy warden Rabi-ul Ansari over allegations of harassment.

Following the meeting, several hostel wardens resigned from their administrative responsibilities in solidarity with chief warden Sudarshan Mishra, alleging that BJP MLA and Ravenshaw University senate member Prakash Chandra Sethi behaved inappropriately with Mishra during the discussions.

On Wednesday, members of the Ravenshaw University Wardens’ Association held a march on the campus and submitted a four-point memorandum to the vice-chancellor demanding that Sethi apologise to Mishra. The Ravenshaw University Teachers’ Association also backed the wardens’ demands.

“External interference in the university must stop. The dignity of teachers has to be protected. The way the MLA allegedly came, instigated students and behaved with the chief warden is unacceptable,” a member of the Wardens’ Association said.

Sethi in a letter to Odisha assembly speaker Surama Padhy said he had attended the meeting in his capacity as a senate member of Ravenshaw University and the elected representative of Kataka Sadar constituency to help resolve the student agitation.

He alleged that while he was offering suggestions during the discussions, Mishra repeatedly interrupted him, argued with him and displayed conduct unbecoming of a senior university official.

Calling the incident “gross misconduct,” Sethi urged the speaker to initiate appropriate action against Mishra and issue directions to prevent similar incidents in future, saying the alleged behaviour undermined the dignity of an elected public representative.

The dispute comes against the backdrop of continuing unrest at Ravenshaw University, where students have been on an indefinite hunger strike since Sunday night demanding the removal of deputy warden Rabi-ul Ansari.

The protesting students are accusing Ansari of harassing hostel boarders, locking hostel rooms and asking a student to vacate his room hours after Friendship Day celebrations on Saturday night.

Hundreds of the university’s students have been protesting the hostel warden’s action, carrying placards and beating a gong, disrupting normal functioning. The hostel mess also remained shut as the agitation continued.