New Delhi: Students from Congress’s National Students Union of India (NSUI) on Friday demonstrated outside HRD Minister Smriti Irani’s residence in New Delhi to withdraw the controversial circular which banned a student group at IIT-Madras.
The IIT-Madras administration banned Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle, a group of nearly 20 students at the premier institution, after an “anonymous complaint” against them was sent to the central government.
The students were denied the use of IIT auditorium, their email services or the institute notice board.
“There is an attempt by the ruling party to enforce the RSS ideology on educational institutions. We demand the immediate withdrawal of the circular,” an NSUI member said.
The protesters were seen with a black cloth around their mouths as they raised slogans against the government.
The ministry had said that it had received an “anonymous letter” along with a pamphlet of the study circle highlighting a critical speech by academician R Vivekananda Gopal at one of its forums.
“The Modi government, while carrying forward its Hindutva agenda, is simultaneously assisting the multinational corporates to loot mother India,” the professor had said in his speech.
The students’ group said it was never given a chance to explain. “We have not violated the Constitution. The Constitution allows us to criticise the government and its policies,” Abhinav Surya, the head of the study circle, said.
IIT M said the group can present its case before the board of students, which will meet after the summer vacation.
Meanwhile, action against the group has generated a fierce debate on social media and was among the top trends of the day on Twitter.