The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) organized a demonstration at the Tripura Government College of Art and Craft to protest what they perceived as vulgarity in an idol of Goddess Saraswati being worshipped on the college premises. Members of the ABVP, a student body affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), protested against the idol of Goddess Saraswati placed at the government institute in Lichubagan, claiming it was “vulgar” and went against Indian culture and religious sentiments. They demanded that the institute drape the idol with a saree.
Dibakar Acharjee, Joint Secretary of the ABVP unit in the state, stated that the organization strongly opposed such actions by educational institutions that hurt religious sentiments. He mentioned, “Today is Basant Panchami and Goddess Saraswati is worshipped all over the country. In the morning, we received news that the idol of Goddess Saraswati at the Government Art and Craft College was sculptured in a very wrong and vulgar way. We immediately went to the location and protested. We compelled the college authority to stop the worship and had the students drape a saree on the idol. We strongly protest against such initiatives in any educational institution.”
Acharjee also called for Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha to take strict action against the college authority, stating, “It’s our demand to CM Dr. Manik Saha to take strict action against the college authority and dismiss the principal.”