Attack on foreign students: Gujarat varsity's reputation, ranking at stake, say academics

Counterview Desk

Expressing anguish over the attack on international students in Gujarat University hostels, a letter claimed to have been signed by 122 current and former academics has asked the Gujarat Vice Chancellor, Dr Neerja Gupta, to provide emotional support to the attacked students and to ensure their physical safety.

The letter asks the Vice Chancellor to ensure swift action by the police against the perpetrators of the attack and follow up with the police as to why it allowed the miscreants to leave the site in their presence. The University should look into ways of compensating the students for their losses, it adds.

The signatories suggest that the University should provide sensitisation to all students of the University about the diversity of religious faiths and practices and about the importance of mutual respect for beliefs and practices of all faiths.

The letter, received by Counterview as a direct message on social media, says, it has been signed by Dr Raghavan Rangarajan, Dr Navdeep Mathur, Dr Neha Shah, Dr Ghanshyam Shah "and Ahmedabad 118 other academics and concerned citizens". It does not reveal full list of signatories.

Text:

It is with great anguish that we, current and retired academics from Gujarat and other States, hear that some students of Gujarat University were attacked in the Gujarat University hostels while they were praying and their rooms vandalised.

A university campus is a safe space for all students and the manner in which students were targeted is condemnable.

The video footage that has been seen in the press will allow Gujarat University to pursue this matter and ensure that the miscreants are identified and prosecuted.

More immediate action may be taken against the miscreants who are from the University. We presume that the University is providing emotional support to the students who were attacked as well as taking steps to ensure their physical safety.

This incident has sadly tarnished the reputation of Gujarat University, both within the country and abroad as the students who were attacked were from foreign countries. Its reputation as a premier educational institution with the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), Government of India, ranking of 61 among universities will be damaged if student security cannot be established.

In your engagement with the press you have shared that the police is investigating the incident. We urge you to also issue a public statement condemning the incident so that citizens of India and elsewhere can recognise that Gujarat University does not condone hooliganism and violence against its students.

It would be appropriate to sensitise all students about diversity of religious faiths and practices and importance of mutual respect

A message to all students of the University, and personally to the victims of the attack, reassuring them of the University’s commitment to their safety will provide some succour to all students who may be feeling insecure in light of the attack.

Moreover, visible actions by the University that indicate that it is vigorously pursuing with the police for swift action against the perpetrators of the attack will send the right signal to all concerned that Gujarat University is a serious academic institution that is committed to creating the right environment for scholarship and education.

At the least, the University must pursue with the Ahmedabad City Police as to why the miscreants were allowed to leave the University campus in their presence, as has been seen in videos, instead of being detained for questioning and investigation.

You have mentioned in your interaction with the press that the international students will be provided with cultural sensitisation. It would be equally appropriate to provide sensitisation to all students about the diversity of religious faiths and practices and about the importance of mutual respect for beliefs and practices of all faiths.

News reports indicate that the miscreants damaged laptops and other equipment of the students. The University should also look into ways of compensating the students for their losses.

Comments

Mohammad Yousuf Khan said…

Polarising the population by targeting minorities on religious grounds and promoting hate as tools for remaining in power will have such seriously damaging side effects in the society.In the present political environment,it appears that such events have tacit approval of authorities concerned.

March 24, 2024

Arif kazi said…

This incident shows a worst example internationally that whether some community hates other religion on their religious activities.. I being recruiting employees for international corporates never are bias or hate candidates while recruiting. Is it that the hate speeches are now being converted into action? Being a political student, we were taught that religion should not never be mixed with politics..

March 27, 2024

Countrywide protest by gig workers puts spotlight on algorithmic exploitation

By A Representative A nationwide protest led largely by women gig and platform workers was held across several states on February 3, with the Gig & Platform Service Workers Union (GIPSWU) claiming the mobilisation as a success and a strong assertion of workers’ rights against what it described as widespread exploitation by digital platform companies. Demonstrations took place in Delhi, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Maharashtra and other states, covering major cities including New Delhi, Jaipur, Bengaluru and Mumbai, along with multiple districts across the country.

CFA flags ‘welfare retreat’ in Union Budget 2026–27, alleges corporate bias

By Jag Jivan The advocacy group Centre for Financial Accountability (CFA) has sharply criticised the Union Budget 2026–27 , calling it a “budget sans kartavya” that weakens public welfare while favouring private corporations, even as inequality, climate risks and social distress deepen across the country.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

'Gandhi Talks': Cinema that dares to be quiet, where music, image and silence speak

By Vikas Meshram In today’s digital age, where reels and short videos dominate attention spans, watching a silent film for over two hours feels almost like an act of resistance. Directed by Kishor Pandurang Belekar, “Gandhi Talks” is a bold cinematic experiment that turns silence into language and wordlessness into a powerful storytelling device. The film is not mere entertainment; it is an experience that pushes the viewer inward, compelling reflection on life, values, and society.

From water scarcity to sustainable livelihoods: The turnaround of Salaiya Maaf

By Bharat Dogra We were sitting at a central place in Salaiya Maaf village, located in Mahoba district of Uttar Pradesh, for a group discussion when an elderly woman said in an emotional voice, “It is so good that you people came. Land on which nothing grew can now produce good crops.”

The Epstein shock, global power games and India’s foreign policy dilemma

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The “Epstein” tsunami has jolted establishments everywhere. Politicians, bureaucrats, billionaires, celebrities, intellectuals, academics, religious gurus, and preachers—all appear to be under scrutiny, even dismantled. At first glance, it may seem like a story cutting across left, right, centre, Democrats, Republicans, socialists, capitalists—every label one can think of. Much of it, of course, is gossip, as people seek solace in the possible inclusion of names they personally dislike.

Michael Parenti: Scholar known for critiques of capitalism and U.S. foreign policy

By Harsh Thakor* Michael Parenti, an American political scientist, historian, and author known for his Marxist and anti-imperialist perspectives, died on January 24 at the age of 92. Over several decades, Parenti wrote and lectured extensively on issues of capitalism, imperialism, democracy, media, and U.S. foreign policy. His work consistently challenged dominant political and economic narratives, particularly those associated with Western liberal democracies and global capitalism.

Paper guarantees, real hardship: How budget 2026–27 abandons rural India

By Vikas Meshram In the history of Indian democracy, the Union government’s annual budget has always carried great significance. However, the 2026–27 budget raises several alarming concerns for rural India. In particular, the vague provisions of the VBG–Ram Ji scheme and major changes to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA) have put the future of rural workers at risk. A deeper reading of the budget reveals that these changes are not merely administrative but are closely tied to political and economic priorities that will have far-reaching consequences for millions of rural households.

Penpa Tsering’s leadership and record under scrutiny amidst Tibetan exile elections

By Tseten Lhundup* Within the Tibetan exile community, Penpa Tsering is often described as having risen through grassroots engagement. Born in 1967, he comes from an ordinary Tibetan family, pursued higher education at Delhi University in India, and went on to serve as Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile from 2008 to 2016. In 2021, he was elected Sikyong of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), becoming the second democratically elected political leader of the administration after Lobsang Sangay.

Search This Blog