Now Reading: JNU professor’s speech at Delhi school cancelled after VHP protest
-
01
JNU professor’s speech at Delhi school cancelled after VHP protest
JNU Professor Emerita Zoya Hasan's Independence Day speech on 'Why Pluralism Matters' at a private school in Delhi's Lodhi Estate was cancelled on Friday after a Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) protest outside…
The Story in Brief
JNU Professor Emerita Zoya Hasan's Independence Day speech on 'Why Pluralism Matters' at a private school in Delhi's Lodhi Estate was cancelled on Friday after a Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) protest outside the school gates. The school and Delhi Police cited security concerns, with the principal informing Hasan that the event was being called off due to risks associated with her presence.
Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust (Sahmat) criticised the police for not dispersing the protesters and instead asking the school to cancel the speech. Sahmat alleged the school had faced VHP pressure in the days before the event but initially resisted. The school maintained the event was not cancelled but a different guest was invited. Hasan said she had only been told about the cancellation after waiting for a ride.
The Indian Opinion
The VHP's protest against a professor speaking about pluralism on Independence Day exposes a troubling unwillingness to hear opposing views. Some will frame this as a security issue, but letting 15 protesters dictate who addresses students sets a dangerous precedent for academic liberty. The question that matters: will the school administration, or any institution, defend its own invitations against small but vocal groups, or are such decisions now outsourced to the loudest voices?
Source: rediff.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
