By Manish Sahu
Amid the controversy over the arrest of its doctor on allegations of religious conversion and claims that a “love jihad” network is running from its campus, the King George’s Medical University administration has directed the removal of five mazars (shrines) on its campus.
Issuing notices to the management of the mazars on Friday, the university directed that the “encroachments” be removed within 15 days from the date of receipt of the notice, failing which further legal and administrative action would be initiated including “forcible removal”.
The shrine management committees and religious leaders associated with them have protested the move and demanded that the notices be withdrawn.
According to the university administration, the shrines were allegedly constructed without valid permission or official approval on illegally encroached public land, making their existence unlawful.
It claimed that the presence of these shrines has led to frequent and unnecessary gatherings within the university premises, causing obstruction to free movement and disturbing the peaceful academic and medical environment of the campus.
Officials further claimed that such gatherings have adversely affected sanitation and security arrangements, creating serious safety concerns for patients, women employees, resident doctors, and students.
The administration maintained that any religious, commercial, or unauthorised construction inside the university campus amounts to illegal encroachment on public property.
This story was originally published in indianexpress.com. Read the full story here.
