A petition has been submitted before the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) seeking intervention over alleged suppression of Hindu students’ religious freedom and discriminatory treatment at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Warangal. The complaint, filed by the Legal Rights Protection Forum (LRPF), raises concerns regarding actions taken by the institute administration that allegedly curtailed peaceful religious expression by students residing in one of the campus hostels.
According to the petition, students staying in the 1.8K Hostel at NIT Warangal had been voluntarily gathering every Tuesday evening for nearly a year to recite the Hanuman Chalisa for about fifteen minutes. The activity was reportedly informal, student-led, and conducted without political affiliation or organizational backing. Participating students are said to have viewed the recitation as spiritually meaningful and beneficial to their mental well-being and personal discipline, with no complaints or disturbances reported during the period it was conducted.
The issue reportedly arose after a video of the Hanuman Chalisa recitation circulated on social media platforms. The petition alleges that on February 17, 2026, senior institute officials, including the director, the dean of student welfare, and the chief warden, entered the hostel premises and instructed students to disperse the gathering. Students who questioned the decision and referred to their constitutional right to religious practice were allegedly warned of strict disciplinary action, including possible rustication.
As per OpIndia reports, the complaint further alleges differential treatment in the regulation of religious activities on campus. It claims that Islamic students have been permitted to offer Namaz in a designated common hall within the hostel, while Christian religious activities and Christmas celebrations have reportedly been conducted under recognized institutional forums with participation from senior administrators and faculty members. The petition argues that prohibiting a brief Hindu devotional gathering while allowing other religious activities raises concerns regarding unequal application of institutional policies.
LRPF has contended that NIT Warangal, being a centrally funded institution functioning under the Ministry of Education, qualifies as a ‘State’ under Article 12 of the Constitution and is therefore bound by the fundamental rights discipline. The petition states that the reported actions potentially implicate Article 25, which guarantees freedom of conscience and the right to freely practice religion, as well as Articles 14 and 15, which relate to equality before the law and protection against discrimination on religious grounds.
The organization has requested the NHRC to conduct an independent and impartial inquiry into the conduct of the concerned officials and examine whether constitutional protections were violated. It has also sought directions to ensure that voluntary and peaceful religious expression by students is not restricted arbitrarily and that any rules governing campus activities are applied uniformly across all communities.
Additionally, the petition has urged authorities to ensure that students who participated in the recitation do not face retaliation, disciplinary pressure, or academic prejudice while the matter is under examination. This development has raised serious concerns about the freedom to practice Hindu religious traditions even within Bharat, a civilization founded upon Hindu Dharma and sustained for millennia by its spiritual and dharmic traditions. In a land where Hindu devotion, prayer, and collective spiritual practice have always formed the cultural and civilizational backbone of society, restrictions on peaceful Hindu worship naturally evoke deep concern among devotees. This incident is a troubling moment that calls for reaffirming the dharmic principle of respecting and protecting the spiritual practices of all.
The Legal Rights Protection Forum (LRPF) has played a significant role in highlighting similar cases across the country, actively working to safeguard constitutional freedoms and ensure that instances of discrimination or rights violations are brought before appropriate legal and statutory authorities.
