Ashoka University witnessed a huge protest for a week by the students demanding a caste census on campus and an anti-discrimination cell. In response, Ashoka University on Thursday released a statement “deploring expressions of hatred” and announced plans to plan necessary actions to make sure that peace and harmony prevail inside the campus.
The statement was released following videos of students raising anti-Brahmin and Baniyawaad slogans on social media. The students of the university are seen raising slogans directed towards the Brahmins and Baniyas in a video on social media. “We need a caste census” and “Brahmin-Baniyawaad Murdabad” slogans were shouted by the students with banners in their hands.
Students Criticised
Former Infosys Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Mohandas Pai also shared the video on X. “This is very shocking, if true. Why is there so much caste hatred in @AshokaUniv? Will @sbikh Pl take action to stop such hatred, if true?” he posted. He tagged Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, asking the government to look into why such hatred prevails. “How can universities keep quiet?”
“Ashoka University’s Guidelines on Protecting Freedom of Expression have clearly laid down that such freedom of expression is not unlimited and enjoins respect for the rights and sensibilities of others. This is essential to preserving the spirit of community at Ashoka,” the statement further read.
Another comment on the video read, “Ok, these “students” do everything except study in college and then claim that they are not getting jobs.”
University Responses
After the week-long protest, the university released a statement asserting that it “attaches great value to freedom of expression and vigorous debate, but it also attaches great importance to mutual respect.”. It also read, “The university deplores expressions of hatred directed against any individual or group.”
Ashoka University said that these actions that make the atmosphere intimidating, threatening, or hostile to individuals or groups are regarded as serious offenses and are subject to university disciplinary procedures.
Responding to these protests, the university reportedly decided to set up an Equal Opportunity Cell to improve policies on inclusion and diversity, the report further said.
In a statement on Tuesday, the university was quoted as saying by IE, “Ashoka University prioritizes inclusion and diversity and follows all relevant norms prescribed for private universities. The university engaged with its students over the last few weeks, including at a Town Hall meeting with the Vice-Chancellor last week, and shared its position, which is consistent with the Government of India, Government of Haryana, and UGC norms.”
“We are actively working on creating an Equal Opportunity cell, whose role will include making recommendations to the university to improve prevailing practices and policies on inclusion, diversity, and sensitization. It will have faculty, staff, and elected student representatives as members and will be operational soon, it added.
Why the Protest?
A section of students at the university had been protesting for a week, demanding a caste census on campus, an anti-discrimination cell, and the setting up of an Equal Opportunity Cell.
The protest is headed by the university’s Social Justice Forum (SJF), an independent student body advocating the rights of those from ethnic and religious minority backgrounds.
