Days after a professor at PES University college in Bengaluru was suspended for calling a Muslim student “terrorist” multiple times in class, a civic society group has written to the University’s principal asking for an internal inquiry into the deletion of CCTV footage of the incident and suspension of students. The letter dated March 31, has been endorsed by 379 signatories.
The letter by Bahutva Karnataka questioned the University’s aim of “creating a professionally superior and ethically strong global workforce” following the conduct of the faculty.
“How do you create an ethically strong workforce from among your students when faculty members like Dr Deshpande seem to lack not just ethics, but humanity?” the letter questioned. It argued that Universities should function as safe spaces for students to develop their full potential.
“When a student is singled out and verbally attacked because of the religious community he
belongs to, it automatically creates an unsafe space for not just that student but for all students who are from marginalised backgrounds,” it added.
The letter follows an incident at PES University located in Bengaluru, where a professor called a Muslim student a “terrorist” repeatedly in class. The incident occurred on March 24 and was recorded on video by another student. After the video went viral, the University suspended the professor on March 27.
The Bengaluru police also registered an FIR against the professor based on a suo motu inquiry and a complaint by the National Students' Union of India (NSUI). The FIR was filed under Sections 299 (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings) and 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of peace) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The letter alleged that students who supported the Muslim student were suspended and the CCTV footage of the incident has been deleted.
In light of this, Bahutva Karnataka has demanded an internal inquiry into the deleted CCTV footage and withdrawal of any suspension of students. They condemned the hate speech, calling it an attack on students' dignity, the preambular value of fraternity and democracy itself, and demanded a public apology to the student concerned and his family from the University.
The signatories further urged the university to cooperate with the police and set up an anti-discrimination policy on campus. They also asked the University to conduct an internal inquiry into how professors with “dangerous mindsets, such as that of Dr Muralidhar Deshpande have come to be and to be freely expressed in your university.”
According to The Federal, the FIR states that the student was called a 'terrorist' and was verbally abused in class. It further said that the professor shouted that it was because of “people like him” that the Iran war happened and that “Trump will take you away.”
This article was written by a student intern working with TNM.