Mumbai: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay has slapped hefty fines on eight of its students.
Four of them have been fined Rs 1.2 lakh each – almost equivalent to one semester’s tuition fee – while other four students have been told to pay Rs 40,000 each.
They have been penalised for taking part in a controversial play titled ‘Raahovan,’ believed to be a parody of Ramayana, during the institute’s Performing Arts Festival (PAF) on March 31.
Some students had complained to the authorities, alleging that the play was loosely based on the Ramayana epic and contained derogatory references to Hindu beliefs and deities.
The play reportedly lampooned the lead characters and mocked cultural values in the guise of “promoting feminism.”
A disciplinary committee meeting was held last month, followed by the penalties which were announced on June 4.
Graduating students faced additional sanctions, including a ban from the IIT’s Gymkhana awards, while junior students were barred from hostel facilities.
The students have to pay up by July 20 at the office of Dean of Student Affairs, failing which further sanctions would be imposed.