Varanasi, December 10: After a month-long protest by a section of students over his appointment as a faculty member of the Sanskrit department at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Dr Feroz Khan resigned on Monday. Feroz Khan, who faced agitation because of his Muslim identity, will teach Sanskrit at a different department of the BHU. Khan's transfer appears to be a compromise agreed upon by BHU administration and agitating students. 'RSS Murdabad' Slogan Raised at BHU Days After Sangh Backs Muslim Professor Feroz Khan's Appointment in Sanskrit Department.

According to a report of NDTV, Khan has been transferred to the Arts faculty, where only the language is taught. "Professor Khan has resigned from here. He has expressed an interest in joining another wing in the university that teaches Sanskrit. He gave his resignation yesterday (Monday) evening," Professor Kaushalendra Pandey, who accepted the resignation, was quoted as saying. Students celebrated after the news of Khan's transfer spread. BHU Row Over Muslim Professor of Sanskrit: Priyanka Gandhi Comes Out in Support of Feroz Khan.

"We want to tell Professor khan we do not have personal enmity... we wish him well," Shubham Tiwari, one of the protesting students, said. Students of the Sanskrit Vidya Dharm Vigyan (SVDV) department had been protesting against Khan's appointment, arguing that a professor, who is not Hindu by faith, cannot teach them Sanskrit. BHU Vice-Chancellor Rakesh Bhatnagar, who was part of the three-member selection panel which appointed Khan, backed him.

A section of students and Samskrita Bharati, an affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), had also come in support of Khan. A group of saints in Varanasi have also condemned the protests against Khan and said that the professor and his family have been running a cow shelter and have deep faith in the Hindu culture.

According to a report, Khan's father Ramzan Khan a.k.a Munna Master is a 'Gau Sevak' who runs a cow shelter in Bagru, about 35 kilometres from Jaipur in Rajasthan. The family follows the 'Sanatan dharma' way of life and is a firm believer in astrology.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 10, 2019 05:32 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).