Suspending Prof. Virendra Balaji Shahare Is Unjust: Adarsh M Saji

New Delhi: Adarsh M Saji, All India President of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), condemned Jamia Millia Islamia’s decision to suspend Prof. Virendra Balaji Shahare, calling it "an unjust move." He emphasised that "discussing social issues is the core of social work; it is not a crime." Highlighting the prevailing political climate, he noted that minorities in India are increasingly facing attacks, often linked to Sangh Parivar affiliates, and argued that the BJP fears such discussions, allegedly prompting the RSS to use administrative machinery against the professor.

Adarsh demanded that Jamia Millia Islamia immediately revoke the suspension and withdraw any related FIR, pointing out that Prof. Shahare comes from a marginalized background, a reflection of broader issues of caste-based discrimination.

The controversy arose from a question Prof. Shahare set for a first-semester BA (Hons) Social Work paper, Social Problems in India, which asked students to "discuss the atrocities against Muslim minorities in India, giving suitable examples." While the question is grounded in documented social realities, its circulation on social media sparked backlash from right-wing circles. Kanchan Gupta, senior adviser to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, described the question as “malicious” and suggested political bias.

Subsequently, the university reportedly took action after extreme Hindu groups targeted the question paper. This incident exemplifies how the BJP is attempting to suppress even academic discussion about the condition of minorities in India.