Meerut, May 23 (IANS): The students wing of the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Congress have asked Sangeeta Shukla, Vice-Chancellor (VC) of the Chaudhary Charan Singh University (CCSU) in Meerut, to withdraw her circular asking students to purchase a book on Ayodhya.

Anshu Mallik from the SP's student union at CCSU said the VC must take back the circular.

"Asking students to buy a religious book of one religion or community will do nothing but hurt the sentiments of others," he said.

State president NSUI, Rohit Rana, said: "I don't have any problem with Lord Ram or Ayodhya, but I have a problem with a figure like the VC, who is sitting on a constitutional post and advertising a religious book. We condemn this move."

The VC had issued a circular asking colleges and institutions affiliated to the university to buy the book titled, "Ayodhya- Parampara, Sanskriti, Virasat", penned by writer and poet Yatindra Mishra. It is available for around Rs 6,000 on online platforms.

In the circular, the VC said she has "received the book on Ayodhya, which is available in Hindi and Sanskrit languages".

"The book has a collection of rare pictures. It will be good for all colleges and institutions, and hence they should think about buying it," the circular stated.

Chaudhary Charan Singh University is the parent university of several colleges and private institutions across eight districts of Uttar Pradesh.