LPU Chancellor Ashok Mittal on Wednesday called the recent violence at his university a conspiracy. He said the goal was to damage Punjab’s economy and Hindu-Sikh unity. "There is indeed a huge conspiracy behind it," Mittal said. He added that the sexual assault allegation was false and promised a probe.
Four days after violence and vandalism at Lovely Professional University (LPU), founder and Chancellor Ashok Mittal on Wednesday called the entire episode "a conspiracy" aimed at targeting the university, damaging Punjab's economy and denting the state's Hindu-Sikh unity.
The LPU Chancellor also said the sexual assault allegation was "100 crore per cent" false, and that the probe will establish who provoked students.
The Rajya Sabha MP was speaking to the media on the sidelines of Union Home Minister Amit Shah's rally in Jalandhar.
"I am worried about my Punjab. Two-and-a-half crore people live here, and I represent them," he said.
Asked whether he believed LPU had been specifically targeted, Mittal said, "Why only universities saw such incidents? There is indeed a huge conspiracy behind it." He alleged that the objective was to destabilise the university, defame Punjab, hurt its economy, affect jobs and damage Hindu-Sikh unity.
He questioned how people can accept a claim posted on Reddit so fast, leading to students being mobilised. "Someone posts two lines on Reddit and then starts provoking others... You post something, and it becomes true?"
Mittal alleged that the allegations against LPU were planted ahead of the violence, claiming that the university had consistently listened to its students.
Claiming that a few outsiders were also involved, he said they could be former students who were expelled or received poor marks. The varsity chancellor did not name anyone and said the investigation would establish the facts.
He also claimed that some attackers had their faces covered and were carrying bottles containing petrol. He said determining who they were and how they entered the university was a matter of investigation.
Mittal said LPU had lodged complaints against those allegedly involved in arson and damage during the violence. He said he wanted the investigation to establish what the alleged conspiracy was and why the incidents took place.
"If students are also found to be culprits, we ourselves will act against them and call for them to be arrested," he said.
Asked whether he suspected the violence was connected to his leaving the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and joining the BJP, Mittal declined to comment.
"It would not be right for me to comment on this presently. When facts come to light, I will speak," he said.
He also said there was no discussion on the LPU episode with Shah during the Home Minister's visit to Jalandhar.
Mittal said the incident had implications beyond the university, pointing to LPU's economic contribution to the region. He said around 7,000 to 8,000 people work at the university, with many more dependent on economic activity around the campus.
He also linked the episode to Punjab's social fabric, saying the state's Hindu-Sikh unity had remained intact even during the militancy period.