Sikkim University student held for calling Nepali "a foreign language"; peers demand expulsion скачать в хорошем качестве

Sikkim University student held for calling Nepali "a foreign language"; peers demand expulsion

Click here    / @eastmojoofficial   and ‘Join’ to become a part of the EastMojo family today! On August 14, Sikkim University student Raj Shekar made derogatory remarks against the Nepali community and language calling it a “foreign country’s language” and further commented that those who wanted to use it should “go to Nepal.” Shekhar hailing from Benaras, Uttar Pradesh made the remark in the official WhatsApp group of the SU Commerce Department. The incident has sparked widespread outrage among students and faculty members, with strong condemnation from larger Nepali community in Sikkim. The accused student also questioned the observance of Independence Day on August 15, suggesting that classes should continue as usual. These remarks, made in a group comprising both students and faculty members, were immediately flagged as derogatory and insulting to the sentiments of the Nepali-speaking community. Following the incident, senior scholars from the department lodged a General Diary (GD) at Ranipool Police Station near Gangtok. Acting swiftly, police placed Sarkar in preventive custody under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 196(1) promoting enmity between groups, 353(1)(c) false statements inciting offenses between communities, and 353(2) promoting enmity through falsehood. The incident has triggered a strong response from the Sikkim University Students’ Association (SUSA), which issued a statement condemning Raj’s comments. SUSA President Anup Regmi said that such remarks were not only an attack on the Nepali community but also a threat to communal harmony within the university. “Our demand is very clear — the student should be permanently terminated from the university. He has hurt the sentiments of Nepali-speaking people across the state, the country, and even globally. Divisive thoughts like these cannot be tolerated in an academic space,” Regmi said. He further added that the apology reportedly issued by Raj came only after the matter escalated in the media and through police intervention, calling it “insincere and made under pressure.” According to Regmi, if the student had realized his mistake, he should have apologized immediately instead of waiting several days. A former executive of SUSA, Kiran Sharma, also condemned the remarks, saying they targeted not only the Nepali-speaking fraternity but also disturbed the inclusive environment of the university. He emphasized that Nepali is a scheduled language under the Constitution of India and is even featured on the denominations of the national currency, making the comment highly objectionable. Sikkim University authorities have also taken note of the matter. Registrar (In-charge) Laxuman Sharma confirmed that a complaint was received from the Commerce Department, which also involved inputs from faculty members. He said the case was referred to the Students’ Welfare Committee, which has completed its proceedings and is expected to submit its final report soon. “Once the report is received, the university will decide on the appropriate action. As an institution, we are deeply concerned by such remarks. They should not exist in our university. We are committed to harmony and respect for all communities and will also work to sensitize students on such issues,” Sharma said. ========= Support Independent Journalism by becoming Our Premium Member: https://eastmojo.com/eastmojo-subscri... ========= Subscribe to never miss an update:    / @eastmojoofficial   ========= Visit our website: https://www.eastmojo.com/ Become a Premium Member: https://eastmojo.com/eastmojo-subscri... Find us on Google: https://news.google.com/publications/... Social Links: Facebook:   / eastmojo   Twitter:   / eastmojo   Instagram:   / east.mojo   Reddit:   / eastmojo   ========= #EastMojo #EastStory #northeastindia #northeast #sikkim #gangtok #sikkimuniversity