
A play staged by the Lalit Kala Kendra, a part of Pune University’s Centre for Performing Arts, has led to the arrest of a professor, Dr. Pravin Bhole, and five students, including Bhavesh Patil, Jay Pednekar, Prathamesh Sawant, Rishikesh Dalvi, and Yash Chikhle. The play, based on ‘Ramleela,’ allegedly contained objectionable dialogues and scenes, including a portrayal of Sita smoking a cigarette and using abusive language.
The controversy unfolded when members of the RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and students from Pune University engaged in a scuffle over the play. ABVP functionary Harshvardhan Harpude lodged a complaint, resulting in the registration of a case under section 295(A) of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious sentiments.
Inspector Ankush Chintaman provided details of the arrests, emphasizing the charges against the accused for their alleged role in the play. The FIR mentioned that when ABVP members objected to the performance and attempted to stop it, the artists responded by heckling and assaulting them. The incident has raised concerns about the balance between artistic expression and the potential to offend religious sentiments.