Vidisha: Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad activists clashed with police in Vidisha of Madhya Pradesh after they refused to back down from reciting Bharat Mata aarti inside a missionary college here.

For the last fortnight, activists of the right-wing student organisation have been visiting schools and colleges in the state reciting Bharat Mata aarti to ‘instil a sense of patriotism’ among students.

As part of that campaign, the student workers reached St Mary’s PG College in Vidisha where they were denied permission by the college director, Father Shaju Devassy. The college was already given police protection to stop ABVP from storming in as the organisation had made their intentions clear in advance.

ABVP activists, however, refused to budge from their demand and tried reciting the aarti on the college gate. This led to police force present there to lathicharge them. Clashes continued for some hours after and some protesters were detained by the police.

Heavy police force was deployed at the college as ABVP has given prior intimation of forcefully entering the college for reciting the aarti.

ABVP leader Surendra Singh Chauhan, who led the agitation, said that as part of their campaign, they reached St Mary’s PG College but were denied permission to sing the aarti by the administration which was insult to nationalism. “The college director connived with police and administration to put pressure on us,” he alleged.

Anil Suchari, district collector, Vidisha, told the media that it’s a minority institution and no event could take place inside the college campus without the permission of the institute.

ABVP national executive member Ankit Garg told News18 that their activists reached the college after getting complaints that the college was denying permission to sing Vande Matarm, Bharat Mata aarti and other such songs.

“Is it a crime to sing Bharat Mata aarti anywhere in India?” he said.

No ABVP worker was detained, he said, adding that those detained by the police were not ABVP workers.