31,000 sign petition for public inquiry into Jason Arday media harassment

More than 31,000 people, including several MPs, have signed a petition calling for a public inquiry into alleged media harassment of the late Cambridge professor Jason Arday, campaign organisers said Sunday. The petition was launched by activist group Good Law Project, which had supported Arday after he resigned from the University of Cambridge earlier this month.

Arday, 41, became Cambridge's youngest Black professor when appointed in 2023. He resigned on August 5 after the university began investigations into plagiarism allegations and questions over claims about his life and achievements. Good Law Project alleged that Arday's death was the result of sustained press harassment and that racism played a role, though these claims have not been independently established. The scrutiny followed public allegations by academic Nathan Cofnas and subsequent media reports questioning passages in Arday's doctoral thesis and his personal history.

Arday's death has sparked debate in Britain over diversity, equity and inclusion policies. Some, including London mayor Sadiq Khan, have criticised the intensity of media coverage as a public shaming. Others, like former Conservative home secretary James Cleverly, say Cambridge had questions to answer over his appointment. The Times of India reports that a GoFundMe page had raised almost Rs 1 crore for Arday's family by Sunday. The petition seeks a public inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the media scrutiny.