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Journalism of Courage
The Progressive Students Forum (PSF) of TISS held the Bhagat Singh Memorial Lecture (BSML) online on Thursday, after the institute refused to allow external speakers on campus.
The speakers — human right activist and author Harsh Mander and president of Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) Aishe Ghosh — delivered the lectures online for the fifth BSML on the topic ‘India’s Faltering Democracy – Times of Rising Hate and Threats to Secularism’.
In a statement, PSF said, “The TISS administration’s effort to dilute democracy at the campus will not be successful.” It added that it is resisting the “high censorship”.
On Tuesday night, members from PSF and BSML organising committee protested outside the institute director’s bungalow, alleging that TISS had denied permission for the BSML on campus.
On Wednesday, the administration issued a formal communication, stating that it has permitted the BSML to be conducted on campus but no external speakers will be allowed. Miffed students again protested on campus. on Thursday, the PSF announced that the BSML will be a webinar.
Addressing the webinar, Ghosh condemned the denial of permission for BSML. Mander said, “I used to visit TISS, but today I find that my entry is barred, which is sad. But we have… technology to overcome that.”
An official from the institute, however, said, “TISS has not denied permission. Rather, the organisers were to follow guidelines. But they refused and wanted to move ahead in disrespect to all guidelines… A wrong narrative is being spread… by students.”
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