Tiger80 Posted May 29, 2015 Posted May 29, 2015 CHENNAI: In a controversial move, IIT-Madras has banned a discussion forum for students following an anonymous complaint that it tried to spread "hatred" against Prime Minister Modi by mobilizing SC/ST students to question government policies on the use of Hindi and the ban on cow slaughter. The decision followed after the ministry of human resource development (MHRD) made an inquiry regarding the anonymous complaint it had received on the activities of the Ambedkar Periyar Student Circle (APSC) on the IIT campus. The complainant had enclosed one of APSC's pamphlets reproducing a speech which criticized the Modi government and its policies. In the letter to the IIT director dated May 15, Prisca Mathew, under secretary to the government of India, wrote, "I am directed to forward herewith a copy of anonymous letter alleging serious complaints received from students, IIT-Madras along with pamphlet issued by Ambedkar-Periyar study circle on the above mentioned subject and to request that comments of the institute may please be sent to this ministry at an early date." A week later, on May 24, the IIT dean (for students), Sivakumar M Srinivasan, sent a terse email to the coordinators of the APSC informing them that they had been "derecognized". Members of APSC are now up in arms pointing out that the HRD ministry's action and the IIT's decision to ban their activities was based on an anonymous complaint by right-wing groups and that they were denied a hearing. READ ALSO: IIT-M is India's Stanford IITs and HRD ministry contradict each other on common counselling The group demanded to know how an 'anonymous' letter represented the majority opinion of students of IIT-Madras. "We object to the fact that the dean has derecognized our study circle unilaterally without giving us a fair hearing and an opportunity to represent ourselves. In our interaction with the dean of students, we have been told that our study circle engaged in "controversial activities" and violated the code of conduct of independent student bodies. We are clear in our stand that we have not misused any privileges given by the institute," said a member of the APSC, seeking anonymity. The APSC was created as a discussion forum on April 14, 2014 by a group of politically-inclined students from IIT-Madras to promote the ideology and writings of B R Ambedkar and Periyar. The objective was to initiate debates on socio-economic and cultural issues while examining them through the prism of Dalit rights and aspirations of the backward classes. The 'controversial' pamphlet that the MHRD forwarded was the copy of a speech by a Dravidian University academic R Vivekandanda Gopal on the "Contemporary relevance of Dr Ambedkar". The event was organised by the APSC on the campus. The pamphlet reproduced portions in which the speaker had criticized the Modi regime for "pro-corporate" policies such as the Land Acquisition Bill and insurance and labour reforms. He had also accused the government of "communally polarizing" people by introducing a ban on cow slaughter and through ghar wapsi programs. Justifying his decision to ban the group, dean Sivakumar M Srinivasan, said, "There are certain procedures to be followed and in this case, the APSC has broken the basic code of conduct. They have misused privileges given to them. So the action was inevitable." He said after receiving the letter from MHRD, he conducted an enquiry and found that "the allegations were true". Following the ban, APSC can no longer use facilities on the campus including the auditoriums for its functions. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/education/news/IIT-Madras-bans-student-group-for-criticising-PM-Modi-his-policies/articleshow/47463535.cms Another controversy
someone Posted May 29, 2015 Posted May 29, 2015 Nice BS. Not due to Modi but due to caste discrimination
someone Posted May 29, 2015 Posted May 29, 2015 It's fashionable nowadays to blame everything on Modi, and you will get instantly media attention and recognition, and our so called liberals who will then blindly believe and support you. We have the so called Christians attacks, the Muslims housing incident, and now this. All proven lies. There are many more things. In 1 year, it's been a record number of big lies followed by small apology.
BeautifulGame Posted May 29, 2015 Posted May 29, 2015 The Union Human Resource Development Ministry had written to IIT-Madras on May 15, 2015, that it had received an “anonymous letter†and a pamphlet of the study circle highlighting a critical speech by academician R Vivekananda Gopal. “The Modi government, while carrying forward its Hindutva agenda, is simultaneously assisting the multinational corporate to loot mother India,†professor Gopal had said in his speech. The anonymous letter to the government, signed “Students, IIT Madrasâ€, alleged that the Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle is “creating hatred among students in the name of caste†and also trying to “create hatred against the honourable prime minister and Hindus.†http://www.youthconnect.in/2015/05/29/iit-madras-bans-student-group-for-criticizing-the-modi-government-protests-follow-the-ban/ HRD ministry forwarding anonymous letters to ban student groups :hatsoff:
BeautifulGame Posted May 29, 2015 Posted May 29, 2015 The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT Madras) has withdrawn recognition to Ambedkar-Periyar Study Circle (APSC), a student body, after it allegedly organised a lecture on Ambedkar Jayanti in which the guest speaker attacked the caste system and extreme religious positions in the country. A PhD scholar said the APSC was launched to initiate debates within the academic fraternity on socio-economic-political and cultural issues that impact the common man. The IIT Madras, incidentally, has a reputed Humanities department. On April 14, the APSC invited a professor of the Dravidian University in Andhra Pradesh to address students on how caste was becoming a political tool to exploit the working class. A section that was opposed to this immediately shot off an anonymous petition to the Central government accusing APSC of seeking to de-align Scheduled Caste/Tribe students in an attempt to instigate them against the State. The letter sought to rein in the group. “On May 15, the director of IIT Madras was asked to respond to this anonymous letter and a week later the Dean of Students M Srinivasan de-recognised the APSC accusing its office-bearers of misusing the privilege given to the study circle,†said a senior professor. “Ours has generally been a liberal campus where we encourage students to exchange thoughts freely. Therefore this action comes as a surprise,†he added. However, Srinivasan contended that the APSC did not seek permission to put up posters advertising the lecture. The director of IIT is out of country and hence no reply has been sent to the Central government. Meanwhile, a section of students alleged that some professors did not approve of the name of the study circle as Ambedkar and Periyar were associated with social movements that challenged caste hegemony in the country. Denying this, Srinivasan said, “I am a big fan of Periyar and Ambedkar. They should have shown us the poster before publicising it. That’s all.†Members of the APSC are bitter at the developments. “We have conducted ourselves within the boundaries of the Indian Constitution. So far our activities have been confined to healthy discussions on socio-economic issues on scientific basis to promote the scientific temper among the student,†a member said. He suspected that a group of students that had booed well known social activist Teesta Setalvad during her visit to the institution last year could have sent the anonymous letter. http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/IIT-M-Castes-Away-Student-Body-Over-Lecture/2015/05/29/article2838053.ece2
amiret Posted May 29, 2015 Posted May 29, 2015 It seems the students were also asked by Dean of Students to changed the name of their students’ organization. The Dean’s office has provided us with a copy of a letter from the MHRD dated 21/05/2015with the ref no. F. No. 5-3/2014-TS-I. The letter stated that the MHRD has received serious complaints regarding the activities of our study circle through anonymous letter. A copy of one such letter was provided. We wish to respond to the allegations in the complainant’s letter. 1. It has been alleged that we have spread hatred against the Modi government and a copy of our pamphlet on the occasion of Ambedkar Jayanti was enclosed. We do not see any merit in such a statement. We stand by our opinions. Yes, we were very critical of the government. However, we do not understand how dissent and criticism of the government’s policy is akin to “spreading hatred”. If any person professing an anti-establishment view is accused of engaging in “controversial” activities and all dissent is stifled, wouldn’t that be a violation of our constitutionally guaranteed rights to freely express ourselves?
amiret Posted May 29, 2015 Posted May 29, 2015 Nice BS. Not due to Modi but due to caste discrimination The image you have posted contains the anoymous letter but it does NOT contain the alleged provocative pamphlets. This is the APSC pamphlet that was distributed. http://i0.wp.com/128.199.141.55/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/10868081_387461018103712_451650232760166864_n.jpg
G_B_ Posted May 29, 2015 Posted May 29, 2015 I dont see what the big deal is they are free to organise their events outside the university. If they have not followed procedure and got their pamphlet approved by the dean (or whoever) there should be no complaints. This has nothing to do with freedom of speech. The university like any organisation has the right to retract the use of its facilities.
seedhi Posted May 29, 2015 Posted May 29, 2015 The image you have posted contains the anoymous letter but it does NOT contain the alleged provocative pamphlets. This is the APSC pamphlet that was distributed. http://i0.wp.com/128.199.141.55/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/10868081_387461018103712_451650232760166864_n.jpgThe pamphlet calls for destroying Hinduism. I cannot see how such a pamphlet can be allowed to be put up in IITs.
G_B_ Posted May 29, 2015 Posted May 29, 2015 The pamphlet had IIT-Ms name on it - especially for people who are naïve enough (the target audience?) would think of this as an endorsement by the institute - clearly I cant use the letter head of the company that employs me without its approval. It would also be the case I would think that they really aren't part of IIT-M the organization - they just happen to be its clientele that pay for its services. Am sure if they had distributed this piece of paper outside the campus under any other name nobody would have taken notice. exactly. either take permission or organise it outside the university in a legal manner if your are denied it. Quite frankly there are grounds for expelling these students. The dean has been quite restrained in his actions. When i went to university in the UK you had to ask permission (send purpose pamphlets etc) to use University infra, a month before the event. You usually got approval in 2 weeks, after which you were free to distribute the pamphlets/posters which were approved (word for word and picture for picture). Ie its a process.
BeautifulGame Posted May 29, 2015 Posted May 29, 2015 The pamphlet had IIT-Ms name on it - especially for people who are naïve enough (the target audience?) would think of this as an endorsement by the institute - clearly I cant use the letter head of the company that employs me without its approval. It would also be the case I would think that they really aren't part of IIT-M the organization - they just happen to be its clientele that pay for its services. Am sure if they had distributed this piece of paper outside the campus under any other name nobody would have taken notice. The pamplets had name of the student organization approved by IIT madras.How the hell does it equate to initiative by IITM?
G_B_ Posted May 29, 2015 Posted May 29, 2015 The pamphlet had IIT-Ms name on it - especially for people who are naïve enough (the target audience?) would think of this as an endorsement by the institute - clearly I cant use the letter head of the company that employs me without its approval. It would also be the case I would think that they really aren't part of IIT-M the organization - they just happen to be its clientele that pay for its services. Am sure if they had distributed this piece of paper outside the campus under any other name nobody would have taken notice. The pamplets had name of the student organization approved by IIT madras.How the hell does it equate to initiative by IITM? and now they are disapproved based on an inflammatory pamphlet.
BeautifulGame Posted May 29, 2015 Posted May 29, 2015 and now they are disapproved based on an inflammatory pamphlet. How is the pamphlet inflammatory?
G_B_ Posted May 29, 2015 Posted May 29, 2015 How is the pamphlet inflammatory? you need to ask the dean for that. Ultimately he is the one making the calls and deemed it so. The point is that permission should have been sought before they started distributing them on IIT M campus
BeautifulGame Posted May 29, 2015 Posted May 29, 2015 you need to ask the dean for that. Ultimately he is the one making the calls and deemed it so. The point is that permission should have been sought before they started distributing them on IIT M campus The problem is whether the dean acted independently without any pressure . When the HRD ministry forwards anonymous letters seeking explanation and then a student organization is banned hurriedly without even seeking explanation it creates doubt over the so called process And if the dean really found the pamphlets inflammatory then its an even bigger issue considering the freedom of speech regardless of what dean thinks
G_B_ Posted May 29, 2015 Posted May 29, 2015 The problem is whether the dean acted independently without any pressure . When the HRD ministry forwards anonymous letters seeking explanation and then a student organization is banned hurriedly without even seeking explanation it creates doubt over the so called process And if the dean really found the pamphlets inflammatory then its an even bigger issue considering the freedom of speech regardless of what dean thinks[ the freedom if speech angle is redundant in this case. Nobody is stopping these students from expressing said views outside campus. If I walked into my workplace and said Islam/Christianity are wrong religions , i would be suspended or sacked. As i have mentioned before IIT-M has every right to de-recognise societies any time they want. these students are free to even hold these views and express them in conversation with their fellow peers. However organising an event using university facilities is off limits. The truth is the dean has earned his position through merit and is in a position to make the calls based on this ability. Any tom dick and harry cannot become dean. Its not as if a peon passed judgement. If you goto a court even a judge is a person who can have biases in judgement. Its not a perfect system but it is a system which prevails all through the democratic world. About the without pressure or not, those are allegations which need to be proven. Clearly there is a pamplet there for all to be seen. We do know that they did not take permission as per the dean. How do you know the said group did not harass students to attend? and this instance is not part of a wider case of issues caused by the same group? Allegations can be made by the side opposing this group as well. Clearly somebody needed to make a judgement call. Now you can disagree with that call. But you must respect the deans right to make the call and the centres right to bring it to the attention of the dean. The centre from what i know have a right to draw attention to matters which concern them based on the fact that they do play a part in funding the institution.
BeautifulGame Posted May 29, 2015 Posted May 29, 2015 the freedom if speech angle is redundant in this case. Nobody is stopping these students from expressing said views outside campus. If I walked into my workplace and said Islam/Christianity are wrong religions , i would be suspended or sacked. As i have mentioned before IIT-M has every right to de-recognise societies any time they want. these students are free to even hold these views and express them in conversation with their fellow peers. However organising an event using university facilities is off limits. The truth is the dean has earned his position through merit and is in a position to make the calls based on this ability. Any tom dick and harry cannot become dean. Its not as if a peon passed judgement. If you goto a court even a judge is a person who can have biases in judgement. Its not a perfect system but it is a system which prevails all through the democratic world. About the without pressure or not, those are allegations which need to be proven. Clearly there is a pamplet there for all to be seen. We do know that they did not take permission as per the dean. How do you know the said group did not harass students to attend? and this instance is not part of a wider case of issues caused by the same group? Allegations can be made by the side opposing this group as well. Clearly somebody needed to make a judgement call. Now you can disagree with that call. But you must respect the deans right to make the call and the centres right to bring it to the attention of the dean. The centre from what i know have a right to draw attention to matters which concern them based on the fact that they do play a part in funding the institution. IITM allows political discussions and has recognized the student group which has been a political discussion group.So unless the dean explains how they the particular session/speech is inflammatory how have they have violated the IIT codes?What are all rules were violated by the students group, What's the finding of enquiry. Any parameters the institution has to determine violation.Nothing made known to the Student group.Just send a mail derecognizing them without even seeking explanation.Is this how they sack in UK if u dont follow their protocol. Surely u can see why this has been criticised so much? Regardless of what Dean has achieved in his career ,the freedom of expression is defined by the constitution.He should have the responsibility to explain how that speech is inflammatory.What u are saying would have been agreeable if IIT has banned any political speeches which it hasnt In IITM all the student discussion forums are routed through their respective faculties not through Dean unless specified P.S How do we know the students were harassed. Has the dean or any other students made any specific allegations?
Ras Al Ghul Posted May 29, 2015 Posted May 29, 2015 Freedom of Expression comes with reasonable restrictions.Calling on people to destroy religion isnt freedom of expression neither is inflaming caste related hatred. I wonder what woud have been the reaction if they had posted similar views againist another religion? I Know,Modi is flaming anti minority fire in India.That would have been the reaction.
BeautifulGame Posted May 29, 2015 Posted May 29, 2015 Freedom of Expression comes with reasonable restrictions.Calling on people to destroy religion isnt freedom of expression neither is inflaming caste related hatred. I wonder what woud have been the reaction if they had posted similar views againist another religion? I Know,Modi is flaming anti minority fire in India.That would have been the reaction. Sorry I might have missed but where does it say destroy the religion?
Tiger80 Posted May 29, 2015 Author Posted May 29, 2015 Leftist hypocrisy always surprise me. Today a Dalit professor was saying on ZEE TV that Smriti Irani should come to Tamil nadu and say something against Periyar and nobody could save not even Jayalalitha and then these people talk about freedom of speech. Freedom of speech mean 1 person is free to say that Hinduism should be destroyed the 2nd say that Islam should be destroyed and 3rd say that Periyar or Ambedkar Ideology should be destroyed and none of group engage in voilence . None of these groups support freedom of speech
Recommended Posts