Raja Ram Yadav, the Vice-Chancellor of Purvanchal University, triggered a major controversy when he told a gathering of students to murder their opponents at a public meeting in Ghazipur.

In a video that has gone viral since the event, which was held on 29 December, Yadav is heard telling the students not to come crying to him when a confrontation happens and kill the adversary.

“Agar aap Purvanchal Vishwavidyalay ke chatra ho to rote hue mere pass kabhi mat aana. Agar kise se jhagda hoga to uski pitayee kar ke aana (If you are students of Purvanchal University, never come crying to me. If you ever happen to be involved in a scuffle with someone, beat him up),” a video posted by ANI shows him as saying.

The V-C then went on telling the gathering that he will “handle things” even if they murder their adversary.

“Tumhara bas chale to uska murder kar ke aana. Aur uske baad hum dekh lenge (If it is possible for you, go ahead and murder that person. We will take care of it later),” he says.

Some members from the gathering, who are hidden from view, can be heard applauding and praising the V-C’s comment with a “waah, waah” (bravo, bravo).

Yadav’s remarks came in for severe criticism from prominent politicians such as Omar Abdullah.

“Get in to a fight, commit a murder as a result and this university VC will take care of things. This is what passes for an education in some places these days. Not surprisingly the audience even applauds his assertion,” wrote Omar Abdullah on Twitter.

Get in to a fight, commit a murder as a result and this university VC will take care of things. This is what passes for an education in some places these days. Not surprisingly the audience even applauds his assertion. https://t.co/E8tI097uzN

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) December 30, 2018

Following the controversy, Uttar Pradesh Health Minister Sidharth Nath Singh lambasted the V-C for propagating goondaism and demanded action against Yadav.

“It [VC’s comments] was wrong. He can’t make such comments. He should teach students the way of peace but he’s doing ‘gunda raj’. VC of such mentality has no right to stay in his position. I hope deputy CM will take appropriate action,” he told news agency ANI.

According to The Telegraph, the 61-year-old Yadav, who holds a PhD in Physics, is known to have RSS links. He also opened an institute in the memory of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay for social science studies and research on “ekatma manavavad” or integral humanism.

The state-run Purvanchal University has around 350 colleges affiliated to it.