Sangh Parivar proto-fascist? Kerala academic's query raises Govt of India eye-brows

By Our Representative
Veteran political scientist and peace and human rights activist Manoranjan Mohanty, who is with the Council for Social Development (CSD), and academic Prem Kumar Vijayan of the department of English, Hindu College, Delhi University, have sought endorsement in support for Dr Gilbert Sebastian of the Kerala Central University (KCU), being “targeted” by Sangh Parivar for seeking a discussion on whether the Sangh Parivar and the Modi government are “proto-fascist”.
Dr Sebastian, who is assistant professor at KCU, situated in Kasargod district of Kerala, “is being targeted by the right wing after he referred to Sangh Parivar as proto-fascist in one of his lectures”, an email alert b the two academics said, criticising the vice chancellor of the university for calling for an enquiry into the matter after being directed by the Universities Grants Commission (UGC) and the Ministry of Human Resources Development on receiving complaints from the Sangh Parivar students wing, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).
Dr Sebastian, who is with department of international relations and political science, was only seeking to have an “academic discussion with his students on whether India under Modi government, can be considered a proto-fascist state”, the two scholars said in the email alert, insisting, “Classrooms are meant to be platforms for discussions and interventions regarding the socio-political conditions of the country.”

Dr Sebastian

Regretting that the Sangh Parivar is using educational institutions as a “platform to spread the Hindutva terror”, the scholars said, “The Sangh has always remained intolerant towards differences and has very evidently been opposing and suppressing dissent voices. Post-2014, under the Modi government, the country has witnessed an explicit suppression of academic freedom.” They added, “The Sangh Parivar and their stooges has been trying to curb discussions and conversations thereby making classrooms less academic and more convenient to exercise their agenda of hatred.
Calling Dr Sebastian yet another victim of “this intolerance towards open discussions”, the email alert, sent through 'Jan', a forum of intellectuals, writers, editors and academicians, said, “The irresponsibility shown by the UGC and the Ministry of Human Resources development in acting without checking into the facts is to be questioned. This very gesture from the part of the administration validates the question of India stooping into a proto-fascist state.”
“We stand with Dr Sebastian and demand immediate action to be taken against ABVP for targeting the professor. We condemn the irresponsible and biased decision of the university administration, UGC and Ministry of Human Resources Development to take action against the professor for simply exercising his right to free speech and expression guaranteed by the Constitution of this country. We also stand for rebuilding fearless and democratic academic spaces”, it added.

Comments

Gujarat's high profile GIFT city 'fails to attract' funds, India's FinTech investment dips

By Rajiv Shah While the Narendra Modi government may have gone out of the way to promote the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), sought to be developed as India’s formidable financial technology hub off the state capital Gandhinagar, just 20 km from Ahmedabad, a recent report , prepared by Tracxn Technologies suggests that neither of the two cities figure in the list of top FinTech funding receiving centres.

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah* The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual.

Why Ramdev, vaccine producing pharma companies and government are all at fault

By Colin Gonsalves* It was perhaps Ramdev’s closeness to government which made him over-confident. According to reports he promoted a cure for Covid, thus directly contravening various provisions of The Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954. Persons convicted of such offences may not get away with a mere apology and would suffer imprisonment.

Malayalam movie Aadujeevitham: Unrealistic, disservice to pastoralists

By Rosamma Thomas* The Malayalam movie 'Aadujeevitham' (Goat Life), currently screening in movie theatres in Kerala, has received positive reviews and was featured also on the website of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The story is based on a 2008 novel by Benyamin, and relates the real-life story of a job-seeker from Kerala tricked into working in slave conditions in a goat farm in Saudi Arabia.

Decade long Modi rule 'undermines' people's welfare and democracy

By Ram Puniyani* Modi has many ploys up his sleeves when it comes to propaganda. On one hand he is turning many a pronouncements of Congress in the communal direction, on the other he is claiming that whatever has been achieved during last ten years of his rule is phenomenal, but it is still a ‘trailer’ and the bigger things are in the offing as he claims to be coming to power yet again in 2024. While his admirers are ga ga about his achievements, the truth lies somewhere else.

Belgian report alleges MNC Etex responsible for asbestos pollution in Madhya Pradesh town Kymore: COP's Geneva meet

By Our Representative A comprehensive Belgian report has held MNC Etex , into construction business and one of the richest, responsible for asbestos pollution in Kymore, an industrial town in in Katni district of Madhya Pradesh. The report provides evidence from the ground on how Kymore’s dust even today is “annoying… it creeps into your clothes, you have to cough it”, saying “It can be deadly.”

Plagued by opportunism, adventurism, tailism, Left 'doesn't matter' in India

By Harsh Thakor* 2024 elections are starting when India appears to be on the verge of turning proto-fascist. The Hindutva saffron brigade has penetrated in every sphere of Indian life, every social order, destroying and undermining the very fabric of the Constitution.

Can universal basic income help usher in sustainable egalitarianism in India?

By Prof RR Prasad* The ongoing debate on application of Article 39(b) in the Supreme Court on redistribution of community material resources to subserve common good and for ushering in an egalitarian society has opened new vistas wherein possible available alternative solutions could be explored.

Press freedom? 28 journalists killed since 2014, nine currently in jail

By Kirity Roy* On the eve of the Press Freedom Day on 3rd of May, the Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM) shared its anxiety with the broader civil society platforms as the situation of freedom of any form of expression became grimmer in India day by day. This day was intended to raise awareness on the importance of freedom of press and to pay tribute to pressmen who lost their lives in the line of duty.

Ahmedabad's Muslim ghetto voters 'denied' right to exercise franchise?

By Tanushree Gangopadhyay* Sections of Gujarat Muslims, with a population of 10 per cent of the State, have been allegedly denied their rights to exercise their franchise in the Juhapura area of Ahmedabad.

Search This Blog