Ravenshaw University Renaming Row: BJD MLA, 2 Leaders Booked For Alleged Involvement In Group Clash

Cuttack: The controversy over the proposal to rename Ravenshaw University, Cuttack, escalated after police filed cases against a BJD MLA and two party leaders for their alleged involvement in a group clash.

BJD MLA Byomkesh Roy, along with leaders Lenin Mohanty and Akram Khan (alias Bobby), were accused of instigating the altercation that occurred during a student torch rally on Wednesday.

The Malgodown police in Cuttack registered the case based on a complaint by a research scholar from the university.

According to the complaint, a confrontation broke out between two groups near the university’s main gate during the rally, with students alleging that outsiders had assaulted them on campus. However, the BJD strongly refuted the charges, stating that the rally was peaceful and no one from the rally entered the university premises.

The BJD issued a statement condemning the FIRs, calling them baseless and unjust.

The row stems from Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s recent suggestion to rename the university, a proposal he clarified was his personal view. This suggestion has ignited a debate, leading to heated discussions in the Odisha Assembly, with the BJP, BJD and Congress exchanging sharp comments.