Ahmedabad: Controversy erupted in H K Arts College, Ahmedabad, as students opposed the decision to invite Vadgam MLA Jignesh Mevani for an annual day event. As a result, the management of the college has cancelled the invitation to Mevani. In response, for the first time in the college’s history, the principal and vice-principal of the college have tendered their resignations as a mark of protest against the cancellation.

Principal Hemantkumar Shah had invited Mevani, who is an alumnus of the college, to deliver an address on the lives and journeys of Dr. B R Ambedkar and Bhagat Singh. However, a few BJP-affiliated student leaders allegedly raised objections and threatened to create ruckus at the annual event if Mevani attended. To avoid trouble, members of the college trust, ‘Gujarat Vidyasabha’, withdrew their permission for the venue.

Shah slammed the college management stating that by cancelling Mevani’s invitation, the college trustees had killed their freedom of speech with their own hands.

According to reports from ANI, Shah, in a letter to the College trustees, stated, “Jignesh Mevani is an alumnus of this college and an MLA. So I invited him as the chief guest. Students were opposing that he’ll speak something controversial and even said if he comes they would block the function.”

“I believe that freedom of speech is important for all including Jignesh Mevani. Instead, the trustees decided to kill their freedom with their own hands under political pressure making it embarrassing, painful and shameful,” he added.

“When I accepted the post of principal, I believed I could do a lot for society and college. I can’t stay in that institute which is a slave of a political party and I can’t work as a slave. So, I am resigning from this post,” said the former principal.

Shah, who is currently the Head of the Economics department at H K Arts College, has worked for 15 years. On the other hand, vice- principal-in-charge Mohanbhai Parmar, who also resigned citing similar reasons, has been associated with the college for the last 10 years. Both Shah and Parmar had been appointed as in-charges of their respective posts four months ago.

Jignesh Mevani responded to the decision of the college’s management, calling it a “spineless decision.” He also lauded principal Shah for resigning on “moral grounds.”

“Since Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister, many people have become spineless. Trustees of H K Arts College where I studied fall in that category, unfortunately. I salute toiling masses who always dare to take on mighty governments unlike many people with so-called celebrated status,” Mevani tweeted.