Massachusetts: Megha Vemuri, an Indian-American student and President of the Class of 2025 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), has faced intense online backlash following a pro-Palestine speech delivered during her graduation ceremony. The speech, which condemned MIT’s ties with Israel and expressed solidarity with Palestine, sparked a wave of vicious trolling on social media, prompting Vemuri to deactivate her LinkedIn profile.
Among her critics was Ouriel Ohayon, an Israeli CEO involved in the cryptocurrency sector, who posted a harsh message on X (formerly Twitter), disparaging Vemuri for her remarks. Ohayon’s post included a crude insult and a suggestion that Vemuri would never find a career, along with a mocking reference to her accent. He also shared a link to her now-deactivated LinkedIn profile.
Social media reactions to Vemuri’s speech were sharply divided. Some users demanded extreme measures, with one commenting that she should have been removed from the stage and deported immediately. Another accused her of seeking attention, suggesting that if she truly cared about the situation in Gaza, she should go there to help alleviate suffering. Others condemned her remarks as unacceptable, while a few tried to separate her views from those of the wider Indian or Indian-American communities, describing her as part of the “woke” minority.
In her speech, Vemuri stated, “The Israeli occupation forces are the only foreign military that MIT has research ties with, this means that Israel’s assault on the Palestinian people is not only aided and abetted by our country, but our school.” According to NBC News, MIT clarified that the speech Vemuri gave at the ceremony was not the one she had previously submitted to the university. Consequently, she was banned from participating in the event.
MIT spokesperson Kimberly Allen said, “While that individual had a scheduled role at today’s Undergraduate Degree Ceremony, she was notified that she would not be permitted at today’s events.” Allen added, “MIT supports free expression but stands by its decision, which was in response to the individual deliberately and repeatedly misleading Commencement organizers and leading a protest from the stage, disrupting an important Institute ceremony.”