Following ABVP protest over ‘staunch Maoists’, IISER Pune drops speakers

“As part of the student-led Muktiparv programme, talks were planned at the institute by external speakers who are academicians and experts working in the areas of social equality and caste and gender dynamics. The organisers of the programme, including our students and faculty mentors, had followed due processes and have undertaken the organisation of this event with the intention that no objectionable content should be propagated through the event,” the IISER statement read.

“However, due to the concerns raised, to avoid controversy, we took the decision of not hosting the planned external speakers at this time. The institute remains committed to upholding the ideals set forth by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar both as we observe Ambedkar Jayanti this weekend and through the year,” it added.

On Thursday, ABVP activists led by Atharva Kulkarni, Pradesh Mantri, Western Maharashtra, met Sunil Bhagwat, Director, IISER, to protest against the speakers invited to speak on the occasion.

In a press statement, the ABVP said it objected to the presence of “staunch Maoists” in the programme. “There is a chance that their statements might cause law and order problems and they would try to divide the society on the basis of religion,” the statement read.

It also alleged that the publishers who would display their books have been accused of publishing books related to extreme left ideology. “Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar had opposed the ideology of the Left throughout his life. Why has IISER allowed the presence of members affiliated to the ‘tukde tukde gang’ on the occasion of his Jayanti? Last year during the Muktiparv, speakers had made statements which had hurt the sentiments of the people,” the release read.