Rahul and the Left parties, meanwhile, attacked the HRD ministry for allegedly invoking the ban
Police detain National Students Union of India activists during a protest outside the residence of HRD minister Smriti Irani in New Delhi on Friday.
New Delhi: The ban on the Ambedkar-Periyar Study Circle (APSC) by IIT Madras, for reportedly criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, generated political heat as Union human resources development minister Smriti Irani on Friday emphatically denied any role in the ban. Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and the Left parties, meanwhile, attacked the HRD ministry for allegedly invoking the ban.
Speaking in Assam, the HRD minister said, “IIT Madras is an autonomous institution. The institution has clearly stated that some procedures were not followed by the students’ organisation and it knew that the dean will de-recognise it for violating norms.”
The HRD ministry also clarified that IIT Madras had taken action against the group according to its own procedure and established guidelines. Mr Gandhi too jumped into the fray. “IIT student group banned for criticising Modi government. What next?” he tweeted. “Free speech is our right. We will fight any attempt to crush dissent and debate: Rahul Gandhi,” said another tweet.
Accepting the challenge, Ms Irani tweeted, “Give me a time n (and) place n (and) I’m ready to debate everything, including education.”
( Source : dc correspondent with agency inputs )
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