Bihar college principal, 12 asst. professors suspended for group dance on item songs

A college principal and 12 assistant professors of the Rajendra College in Chhapra of Saran district in Bihar have been suspended for group dance on singer Sapna Choudhury’s item songs in a college function organised to celebrate the birth anniversary of first President of India Rajendra Prasad on December 3.

Those suspended have been asked to reply within two weeks as to why departmental proceedings should not be initiated against them for their “gross misconduct”.

“The order for their suspension was issued on February 13 [Saturday] for their gross misconduct that happened during a college function organised on Dr. Rajendra Prasad’s birth anniversary”, said a senior official of the Jay Prakash University (JP University) under which Rajendra College functions.

Earlier, an inquiry was ordered into the matter by Governor-cum-Chancellor of the University Phagu Chauhan after the dance video of college principal and others on the song ‘Teri Aaakhiyon ka yo kajal’ (kohl in your eyes) went viral on social media.

The Governor-cum-Chancellor of the University had constituted a high-level committee comprising Vice-Chancellors of two other universities, Lalit Narayan Mithila University of Darbhanga and Patna University, for a thorough probe into the matter and action was taken on the findings, a Raj Bhavan official told The Hindu.

Those suspended have also been asked to reply within 15 days as to why departmental proceedings should not be initiated against them for their “gross misconduct”.

College principal Pramendra Ranjan Singh has been asked to report at the university headquarters during his suspension period while the other 12 assistant professors, including four women, have to report at the Jagdam College, the Ram Jaipal Singh College and other colleges in Chhapra.

In 2010, Prof. Singh lost the Assembly election on Rashtriya Janata Dal ticket from Chhapra constituency. He is an academician in physics and acted as member of Indian Physics Olympiad at several international forums.

Three senior official of the JP University too have been placed under suspension for not “conducting inquiry in an impartial manner” into the issue of the dance video going viral on social media.

The JP University Vice-Chancellor had earlier constituted a committee of these three university officials to conduct an inquiry into the video.