Devdutt Patnaik’s lecture creates tension in IIT Bombay

Mumbai: A scheduled lecture by renowned writer Devdutt Patnaik once again sparked controversy at the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay on Friday. There were conflicting views among students on campus, with some advocating dialogue and others opposing it. The lectures continued despite the reduced population on campus due to Diwali holidays.

Reports indicate that the Maharashtra chapter of Vivek Vichar Manch wrote a letter to the Mumbai Police Commissioner, urging action against those allegedly “spoiling the campus environment” with “divisive policies”.

Concern has increased on campus due to student complaints

In a significant development, IIT-Bombay students filed a police complaint against a professor and a guest lecturer accused of expressing support for Hamas and terrorists during a course lecture on November 6. Master’s student Omkar Supekar filed a complaint against professors Sharmistha Saha and Sudhanva. Deshpande is known for his association with Jan Natya Manch.

Master’s student Omkar Supekar expressed concern, saying that objections were raised before the event, but the administration did not pay attention to them. In another example, a PhD student, in an open letter, highlighted the frequent political discussions in classes, which included topics such as organizing protests, criticizing the government, and allegedly defaming Hinduism.

As tensions escalate, Vivek Vichar Manch has planned to organize a protest at the main gate of the college today. The controversy highlights the challenges of balancing free speech with maintaining a conducive learning environment on college campuses.