National News

Ashoka University Students Display Pro-Palestine Placards During Convocation Ceremony

July 2, 2024
The Commune

A video of a convocation ceremony at Ashoka University has been circulating on social media. It has come to light that on 24 May 2024, students of Ashoka University displayed pro-Palestine placards during their convocation ceremony. The video shows graduates holding signs that read “Free Palestine” and “Stop Genocide.” Some were also seen wearing the Palestinian “keffiyeh” (scarf) and some turned up in Palestinian flag colours – black, green, red. 

This demonstration aligns with the ongoing demands of the Ashoka University Student Government (AUSG) to sever ties with Israel-based Tel Aviv University. Since May, the AUSG has petitioned the university administration, urging them to end their research partnership with Tel Aviv University, which includes lectures by Israeli faculty members in India. However, the university rejected this petition, emphasizing that it does not take political stances.

This is not the first time Ashoka University has been in the spotlight for controversial student actions. Here are some notable past instances:

Hinduphobic Slogans Raised On Campus

In March 2024, Ashoka University students raised Hinduphobic slogans such as “Brahmin-Baniyawaad Murdabad” within the university premises. Videos of the students chanting these slogans went viral on social media. The students also voiced support for caste-based reservations and a caste census at the university. They chanted additional slogans like “Jai Bheem-Jai Meem” and “Jai Savitri-Jai Fatima,” targeting specific communities.

On Israel-Gaza Conflict

In February 2024, the AUSG issued a statement condemning Israel’s military actions in Gaza. The statement described the terror attack by Hamas on October 7th, 2023, which resulted in over 1,300 deaths and numerous atrocities, as “events taking place on 7 October 2023.” This phrasing drew criticism for downplaying the severity of the attacks and omitting the violence committed by Hamas.

Controversial Research By Professor Sabyasachi Das

In August 2023, Professor Sabyasachi Das faced backlash for a research paper claiming that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) engaged in election manipulation. The paper, widely criticized for its methodological flaws, went viral on social media after being amplified by Congress leader Shashi Tharoor. Following the controversy, Professor Das resigned from his position. The AUSG defended the research, describing it as “cutting-edge.”

False Claims By Professor Neelanjan Sircar

In November 2021, Professor Neelanjan Sircar falsely claimed that a portrait of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at Rashtrapati Bhavan was actually of Bengali actor Prosenjit Chatterjee. In a now-deleted tweet, Sircar used this claim to mock Hindu beliefs and criticized the BJP. His tweet read, “Totally amazing! This isn’t Netaji Subash Chandra Bose, it’s a picture of famous Bengali actor Prosenjit Chatterjee playing Netaji in a movie. And this after yelling ‘Jai Shri Ram’ at a Netaji event. The bankruptcy of political appropriation of independence-era leaders.”

The recent display of pro-Palestine placards, combined with these past instances of Hinduphobic slogans, controversial research, and biased commentary on international conflicts, indicates a growing trend of activism and political expression among Ashoka University students.

(With inputs from OpIndia)

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