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Journalism of Courage
Six months after a Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT) professor allegedly referred to a student as ‘Kasab’, the education institution has now closed the matter after taking “strict” disciplinary action against the professor.
According to vice chancellor of Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Lt Gen (Dr) M D Venkatesh, the professor is back in the campus but is yet to be tasked with teaching. “In fact, the student has also reconciled and did not want any action to be taken against the professor,” said Venkatesh.
Speaking to indianexpress.com, Venkatesh said, “The professor has not been sacked but has been punished. We have taken a very stringent disciplinary action against him. He is currently under good mentoring and monitoring.”
MAHE had also constituted a committee to investigate the matter until which the professor was suspended pending inquiry. “There was a disciplinary committee and there was a recommendation and action was taken as per the regulations of the university. We have given him some major punishments which I better not disclose. He is under careful mentorship. The matter stands closed with the disciplinary action taken against the professor,” said Venkatesh.
In a video that had gone viral in November and was widely circulated, the professor was seen allegedly referring to a student as ‘Kasab’, the terrorist who was hanged for his role in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.
In the video, the professor was seen trying to justify his remark, saying it was a “funny thing”. But the student was heard saying, “26/11 was not funny…being a Muslim in this country and facing all of this every day is not funny.” The video also shows the professor saying “sorry” and the student responding, “Sorry does not change how you think or how you portray yourself here.”
