– Raheem Khan
Jaipur, June 10: The People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) has strongly condemned the disrespectful treatment of Associate Professor Himanshu Pandya by Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activists at Mohanlal Sukhadia University, Udaipur. This incident is seen not merely as an attack on an individual but as an attempt to stifle academic freedom and free speech. PUCL Rajasthan urges the state government to recognize the gravity of this offense and swiftly bring the perpetrators to justice.
Arun Vyas, PUCL President, Udaipur District, recounted that Prof. Pandya had been specially invited to the university to teach a research methodology course.
Without any warning, ABVP members intruded into his class, verbally abused him, and forcibly evicted him. They raised offensive slogans and chased him out of the university, continuing their harassment even outside the campus. Following Prof. Pandya’s departure, the agitators targeted course coordinator Prof. Sudha Choudhury and department head Hemant Dwivedi.
The ABVP activists claimed they were protesting against Prof. Pandya due to a Facebook post he made six months ago, expressing sorrow over the demolition of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya in 1992. This incident underscores ABVP’s disregard for the fundamental right to free expression.
The students later uploaded content on YouTube, accusing Prof. Pandya of being a supporter of Palestine. They seemed unaware that the Central Government has often expressed support for the Palestinian cause. Notably, Prof. Pandya’s class on research methodology contained no mention of either Babri Masjid or Palestine.
Bhanwar Meghwanshi, PUCL Rajasthan President, expressed deep concern over the relentless efforts by the BJP, currently in power both in the state and at the Centre, to constrain academic freedom. He criticized the RSS and its affiliated organizations for their persistent attempts to infiltrate the education system. According to Meghwanshi, these disruptive forces, previously kept in check in independent India, have been emboldened under BJP rule.
This is not an isolated case. Earlier, in April 2024, ABVP activists disrupted a book stall at Rajasthan University, tearing up literature related to Bhagat Singh, India’s freedom struggle martyr, labeling it “treasonous” and insisting students only read patriotic material. Similarly, a program on Mirza Ghalib was halted at Jhalawar Government College. In January 2024, a school teacher in Baran district was suspended for emphasizing the importance of the Constitution, Savitri Bai Phule, and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar over religious figures. Muslim teachers have also faced arbitrary suspensions, with five in Baran and three in Jodhpur districts being targeted.
In 2023, ABVP students prevented peers at Rajasthan Central University, Ajmer, from watching a BBC documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots. The university authorities, allegedly under RSS influence, suspended 12 students not only from classes but also from their hostel accommodations.
There is an undeclared clampdown on events celebrating democracy, equality, secularism, and free expression across universities in the state. The Constitution enshrines the right to free expression and the exchange of differing viewpoints as Fundamental Rights. It is alarming that right-wing activism has successfully limited the scope for debate within academic institutions.
PUCL calls upon the state government and university authorities to recognize this grave assault on India’s democracy, conduct a thorough investigation, and hold the accused accountable.
