BJP stifling students' voice: Congress on IIT Madras circular to bar political activity

New Delhi: Congress on Tuesday accused the BJP of “stifling” students’ voice, as it reacted sharply to IIT- Madras reportedly issuing a circular to bar all kinds of political activity. [caption id=“attachment_2620680” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters[/caption] “BJP stifling student’s voice-FTII, JNU, ban on Ambedkar Study Circle, Rohith Vemula’s death & now ban on political activities by IIT Madras,” AICC Communication Department Chief Randeep Surjewala said on Twitter. A newspaper report had it that IIT-Madras has issued a circular with an aim to bar all kinds of “political activity” because that is “against the apolitical nature of the institute”. IIT Madras had courted a controversy in past over banning Dalit students’ group, a decision which it revoked later following nationwide protests. The report mentioned that one clause in the circular — an undertaking to be signed by students, scholars, project associates and others said that they shall not indulge in any activity that will adversely affect the image of the university. Congress earlier took up the issue of Vemula’s suicide aggressively with Rahul Gandhi visiting the Hyderabad University Campus twice. HRD Minister Smriti Irani had accused the rivals of BJP of attempting to “instigate” students across the country over the issue. PTI