Thirteen students arrested on charges of attempting to burn the Manusmriti at Banaras Hindu University (BHU) were granted bail on January 11, 2025. The following day, on January 12, the students held a press conference under the banner of the Bhagat Singh Students Morcha (BSM) at Paradkar Bhawan in Maidagin.
The arrested individuals—Mukesh Kumar, Sandeep Jaiswal, Amar Sharma, Arvind Pal, Anupam Kumar, Lakshman Kumar, Avinash, Arvind, Shubham Kumar, Adarsh, Ipsita Agarwal, Siddhi Tiwari, and Katyayani B. Reddy—were accused of planning to burn the Manusmriti as part of a protest.
During the press conference, Advocate Prem Prakash Singh Yadav criticized the arrests, describing them as unconstitutional. According to Amar Ujala, Advocate Yadav alleged that the charges violated Supreme Court guidelines and fundamental human rights. He further highlighted discrepancies in the police records, noting that while three female students were detained on the evening of December 25, the First Information Report (FIR) misleadingly listed their arrest date as December 26. Yadav assured that legal action would be taken against the officers involved.
Akanksha Azad, president of the Bhagat Singh Students Morcha, condemned the BHU administration, asserting that the arrests were part of a vendetta against their long-standing struggle for democratic rights. She referred to a 2023 incident in which the university administration allegedly shielded the accused in a gang rape case involving an IIT-BHU student until the Morcha’s pressure led to their arrests. Azad argued that the recent arrests in the Manusmriti case were another example of institutional retaliation against dissent.
Civil society representative S.P. Rai also criticized BHU, highlighting the contradiction in supporting research on the Manusmriti while penalizing discussions around it. Rai expressed solidarity with the students and reaffirmed civil society’s support for their rights.
The Bhagat Singh Students Morcha announced plans for another press conference to expose the fabricated charges. Advocate Prem Prakash Yadav reiterated that the allegations were baseless and aimed at criminalizing the students.
The arrests stemmed from an event at BHU on December 25, 2024, organized by the BSM to observe Manusmriti Dahan Divas, commemorating Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s symbolic burning of the Manusmriti in 1927 to protest caste discrimination. The discussion, held at the Arts Faculty, was disrupted by university officials and security personnel, leading to clashes.
An FIR (No. 523/2024) filed on December 26 accused 13 BSM members of violent and disruptive behavior, including pushing and assaulting security staff. Nine current students and four alumni were charged under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, including assault on public servants, inciting religious hostility, rioting, and attempted culpable homicide.
The FIR alleged that the students gathered near the Arts Faculty at 5:30 PM with the intent to burn the Manusmriti. Security personnel claimed the students misbehaved, assaulted guards, and injured two female staff members, Shipra Mishra and Shikha Mishra, who were hospitalized.
The arrested students were taken to Lanka Police Station, held overnight without access to legal counsel, and reportedly subjected to physical assault. They were sent to 14-day judicial custody at the District Jail, Chaukaghat.
Students alleged they were physically assaulted, their clothes torn, and personal belongings damaged during detention. As they were taken to jail, the students protested, chanting slogans like “Manusmriti Murdabad,” “Inquilab Zindabad,” “Jai Bhim,” and “Stop violence against students.”
The charges against the 13 individuals carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
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*Freelance journalist
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