Ahmedabad: Gujarat University vice-chancellor Neerja Gupta said namaz could not have been the only provocation for violence against foreign students on Saturday night. She said ignorance of local culture by foreign students might have triggered the incident.
“It’s not a question of a religious practice… it might be a cultural practice. Foreign students should have been mentored in a better manner in terms of cultural assimilation. They eat non-vegetarian food. But Gujarat is primarily a vegetarian society. The dumping of leftovers can become an issue. If leftovers are dumped in the open, street dogs can create a menace. The public space is shared by everyone. As these are foreign students, they come to notice quickly. So that is why I said that this cannot be about just one incident. We are not so insensitive or intolerant to someone offering namaz. We have to mentor them (foreign students) in better ways and let them know about the local society, customs, and prevalent emotions… so that they can remain safe.” Gupta was quoted by The Indian Express as saying.
“The other thing, I feel, is that they need a dialogue. Violence in any society would trigger a larger problem. They should also feel heard. It is also an opportunity for us because they are our ambassadors. They take our culture to the world,” she added.
On March 16, a group of people entered the Gujarat University hostel in Ahmedabad and allegedly assaulted international students who were observing namaz within the premises. The altercation resulted in injuries to five individuals, with one student from Sri Lanka and another from Tajikistan hospitalised.
Meanwhile, Gujarat Police have arrested several people for their alleged role in the attack. A first information report (FIR) was registered against some 25 unidentified people for rioting, unlawful assembly, voluntarily causing hurt, damage to property and criminal trespass, police officials in Ahmedabad said.
