Following the instance of IIT Bombay’s HSS department inviting a terror sympathiser who had glorified Palestinian terrorists and their gun culture, the students of the institution put out an open letter rejecting romanticization of terrorism and promoting divisive agenda in the campus.
The letter comes after Indian Express published an article quoting the cancellation of the talk by radical leftist Achin Vanaik and the lack of coverage regarding the controversial speech by terror sympathizing leftist theatre artist Sudhanva Deshpande. Their open letter questions the Indian Express’s stance on these matters and calls for transparency and accountability.
Saying No To Terrorism
The first flashpoint centres on an academic course, “HS-835: Performance Theory & Praxis,” conducted by Professor Sharmistha Saha, hailing from the Department of Humanities & Social Sciences at IIT Bombay. On 6 November 2023, during one of the course lectures, Mr. Sudhanva Deshpande, an invited speaker, delivered statements that transcended the boundaries of academic discourse. Deshpande’s remarks, centered around his experiences with individuals who have indulged in terror acts and their vision for a “free Palestine,” ignited concerns among the student body. He made a statement, “In 2015, the first time I have gone to Palestine. I’ve been there twice. On my first visit, I was lucky to meet Zakaria Zubeidi”. Ghassan Kanafani said that “In order to have liberation, we need guns. We have to fight the occupation. You know it has to be an armed struggle. But if we don’t have the culture to go with the guns, guns will turn on us. In other words, you know, we will start killing each other if we don’t have the culture with the guns. This is something that I do want to emphasize that the Palestinian struggle is a freedom struggle. And there has been no freedom struggle in the history of the world, in the history of colonialism that is entirely 100% nonviolent. It is never!”
The students at IIT Bombay expressed apprehensions that such statements might inflame violence and animosity among those in attendance.
They also opposed the way Sudhanva Deshpande introduced Zakaria Zubeidi, a militant fighter – as an incredible visionary and legendary figure during a lecture at IIT Bombay. This description of Zubeidi raised concerns among students who felt that glorifying terrorists was unacceptable. The students accused Deshpande and Prof. Sharmistha Saha of promoting violence under the guise of an academic course, and they criticized Deshpande for not acknowledging the recent terror attack on Israel and for downplaying democratic elections in Israel.
Achin Vanaik’s Visit And Student Opposition
In the statement, IIT Bombay students also said that they strongly opposed Mr. Achin Vanaik’s visit to their institution due to concerns over his divisive and controversial statements. Vanaik is known for making anti-religious remarks, particularly against Hinduism, and has labeled Hindutva as anti-Muslim and anti-Islamic. Furthermore, he has made derogatory comments about the Indian Army, referring to their actions as terrorism and questioning the motives of Indian soldiers. His recent comments during a lecture at O.P. Jindal University on November 1, 2023, attracted substantial attention and triggered widespread controversy.
The students questioned the intentions of the event’s organizer, Prof. Anush Kapadia, and raised concerns about the potential for such politically driven talks to harm the institute’s environment. They wrote that they sought strict policies to prevent similar events in the future.
In their open letter, the students underscored the paramount importance of upholding academic values such as transparency, ethics, safety, inclusivity, and a resolute commitment to educational excellence. They expressed their unwavering belief in IIT Bombay’s pivotal role as a vanguard of these principles. Furthermore, the letter included a formal request to the IIT Bombay administration to diligently address their concerns. The students of IIT Bombay are committed to upholding high ethical, safety, inclusivity, transparency, and educational standards within their institution. The letter ends with an accusation of the Indian Express of selective quoting and misrepresentation in its reporting of Vanaik’s comments, highlighting double standards in its coverage. They also mentioned the newspaper’s silence regarding insinuations on Hinduism by another academic, Professor Divya Dwivedi.
Students @iitbombay reject Terrorism & Divisive Agenda on @iitbombay campus thru open letter.
Lies after lies being indoctrinated by Prof. Sharmistha Saha of @iitbombay & Sudhanva Deshpande under the pretext of academic course. Through this open letter, Students @iitbombay raise… pic.twitter.com/pevZfX004e
— IIT B for Bharat (@IITBforBharat) November 9, 2023
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