Foreign students at Gujarat University to be given 'cultural sensitivity' training: VC after namaz row

Foreign students studying at Gujarat University will be made to undergo "cultural sensitivity" training, Vice Chancellor Neerja Gupta said, hours after a mob attacked the overseas students for offering namaz on the premises.

Speaking to the media, Gupta said that Saturday's escalation was caused by tensions that were prevailing between those in the mob and a few overseas students.

She further said that a special session will be held with the foreign students to discuss how to strengthen their security and provide cultural orientation.

"These are foreign students and when you go abroad, you must learn cultural sensitivity. These students need an orientation. We will sit with them, provide cultural orientation and discuss how to strengthen their security," she said, according to NDTV news outlet.

It has been alleged that a mob attacked students hailing from different foreign countries in the Gujarat University hostel in Ahmedabad for offering namaz on the premises.

Two students - one from Sri Lanka and another from Tajikistan - were hospitalised after the incident.

An FIR was registered against 20-25 people and nine teams of security personnel were formed to conduct a probe into the incident, Police Commissioner GS Malik said.

According to reports, the incident happened around 10.50 pm on Saturday when nearly two dozen people barged into the government-run university's hostel and raised an objection to students from Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and other countries offering namaz in the facility where they stayed.

There are around 300 international students enrolled at the Gujarat University, including from Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Sri Lanka and countries in Africa, Mallik said.

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