Thesis on Islam: Hindutva groups issues cyber attack at IIT Gandhi Nagar

Ahmedabad: Hindutva groups issues cyber attack on the Humanities Department of IIT Gandhinagar. The right-wing front, including the BJP's student organisation ABVP, portrayed the anthropological research conducted by the Hanities and Social Sciences department's students on Muslim cultural elements and customs as Islamic theological studies. A campaign started by Hindutva groups against the educational institution, which began with photos of students and teachers, has escalated to death threats. There were students who got attacked online, but they asserted that they are not ready to surrender their academic freedom.

Reports are emerging that the topics shared by the students of the Humanities and Social Sciences department of the IIT as part of their dissertations were ‘selectively’ leaked to create a stir. Director Rajat Moona responded that the attacks had no credibility whatsoever and that the research topics were decided purely academically. Dean of Students Manish Kumar added that the criticisms had no merit and that they welcomed academic interventions.

The issue started when a post by a parody Hindutva X user named ‘Eminent Intellectual’ on April 28, which only included some research topics, was picked up by right-wing media outlets, including ‘Organizer’. Hindutva Twitter handles have alleged that IITs are in the grip of jihadi-left-Christian radicals. The attacks, which spread to the Ambedkar Study Circle, then tribal students, and then personal insults against faculty, have led to calls for the closure of humanities departments in IITs. Students said that even cultural events like Qawwali Nights held in the past are being used by Hindutva groups to generate hatred. With ABVP Gujarat also taking up the issue, there is a possibility of physical attacks on teachers, it is learned.

ABVP started protests against four academic projects on Islamic Studies by students of Humanities and Social Sciences, Times of India reported. The organisation accused the institute of promoting Islamic Theology.

The organisation issued a statement claiming that there is ideological bias and cultural insensitivity in the institution. It demanded “appropriate action” against those faculty members who allowed the students to carry on with their academic work on Islamic studies.

ABVP’s statement for the media read, "The incident is a clear indication of prejudice, discrimination and insult to the cultural and national sentiments of students from the Hindu community".

"It is alarming that it focuses on theses, projects and subjects related to Islam in a disproportionate manner, which raises questions of academic impartiality," it claimed.

"We call for an immediate restoration of transparency in the communication process, protection of students from threats and retribution and impartial investigation into the actions and biases of faculty members," the release said.

However, the IIT officials refuted the allegations, saying they were false and taken out of context. When there were 40 student theses, only four were targeted by the right-wing groups.

An official said that the issues could have been raised when students were defending their thesis, but no such academic discussion was initiated at that time. Also, no complaint was made to the authorities concerned, and the issue was directly taken to the social media platforms, he said and added that it raises safety issues for students and faculty members whose names are being circulated online.