Why the student group was de-recognised

Even as the HRD ministry wiped its hands off the IITMadras controversy, IIT-M sources said it had taken exception to the students’ body, the Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle, a group of around 20 students, organising a speech that was critical of the government.

The anonymous complaint sent to HRD ministry along with a copy of the speech reveals that the speech — delivered by Dr Vivekananda Gopal of Kuppam University, Andhra Pradesh on Ambedkar — talked about the Modi government taking forward its Hindutva agenda, favouring corporates and communally polarising the common people.

The ministry forwarded the text of the speech to the IIT director, saying it was unfortunate that the IIT campus was being used for such activities.

In his speech, titled Contemporary Relevance of Ambedkar, Dr Gopal said caste had become a political tool for the ruling class to impose its social oppression over Dalits and to economically exploit the working class.

“The Modi government, while carrying forward its Hindutva agenda, is also assisting the multinational corporates in looting India,” Gopal said.

Accusing the government of implementing pro- corporate moves like the land acquisition bill, the Insurance bill and labour laws, Gopal said the government was “communally polarising the common people by: banning cow slaughter, its ghar wapsi programmes, and by promoting the vedas etc”

The speech also attacked the government for revisiting Ambedkar and projecting him as an icon for vote politics.

The text of the speech was forwarded to the HRD minister Smriti Irani asking her to take steps for creating hatred against “honourable prime minister”.

The HRD ministry, in an official statement, however said it did not have to do anything with the action taken by the IIT.