After 'Inflammatory' Guest Lecture On Palestine, IIT-Bombay Implements Stricter Guidelines On Political Talks

IIT-Bombay has recently implemented interim guidelines to address disruptions arising from guest lectures on potentially political topics.

The new rules require obtaining permission from a review committee for inviting external speakers on political subjects, as reported by The Times Of India.

Additionally, police permission is now necessary for on-campus protest gatherings, and organisers and speakers must seek approval for video recording events.

The institute's registrar emphasised the importance of remaining apolitical while encouraging open discussions on educational subjects.

The decision follows an incident involving a PhD student, Omkar Supekar, who reported a guest lecture on the Palestine situation as "inflammatory."

The lecture, organised by Professor Sharmistha Saha, featured guest lecturer Sudhanva Deshpande discussing Hamas and terrorism.

Supekar, not enrolled in the course, recorded the lecture without authorisation and posted it online, sparking a protest by a right-wing group, Vivek Vichar Manch, demanding the arrest of Saha and Deshpande.

The faculty rallied around Saha, condemning threats and demands for her termination.

The institute's director has appointed a fact-finding committee to investigate the incident, proposing "strict action" against those found guilty.

However, the decision has faced internal criticism, with the Ambedkar Periyar-Phule Study Circle labeling the guidelines as "gag rules."

A senior professor acknowledged the need for guidelines, stating that many existed in various forms but were now consolidated.

When addressing concerns about how humanities departments can avoid organising politically charged lectures, the professor clarified that the policy pertains to external speakers or recorded talks.

The review committee will evaluate each case based on its merits.

Regarding seeking permission from the police for protest gatherings, the professor highlighted that Mumbai police routinely enforces Section 144 as a peacekeeping measure, and the institute aims to comply with this regulation.