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.