IIT Madras "Punishes" Students" Group Accused of Inciting Protests Against Modi Government

Chennai:  The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras has allegedly withdrawn the privileges of a student’s discussion group after an anonymous complaint to the Centre that it was trying to “spread hatred” towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Ambedkar Periyar Student Circle has been told that it can’t use the auditorium, the IIT email and the notice board. The group has denied allegations that it was inciting protests against the central government, and says the institute never gave them a chance to respond before taking the “unilateral and undemocratic decision.”

Sources in IIT Madras say the group has not been derecognized but has just lost some privileges.

The union human resource development ministry reportedly received an anonymous complaint that enclosed a pamphlet of the study circle reproducing a speech that criticized the Modi government. When it wrote to the IIT management, the Dean reportedly responded by derecognizing the group for “misuse of privileges.”