Student organisations have termed “irresponsible and opportunistic” the statement by the Pakistan Foreign Affairs Ministry on protests at Jamia Millia Islamia over an event held on the university campus on Tuesday.
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) organised a ‘Yuva Kumbh’ event on the campus, sparking protests from student groups. The student outfits said hosting such a programme went against the secular character of the university space, and was “undermining the very foundation and legacy of the institution”. Protesting organisations included the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), Students’ Federation of India (SFI), All India Students’ Association (AISA), and the Fraternity Movement, among others.
Pakistan Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi, during a weekly media briefing on Thursday, condemned the “permeation of extremist Hindutva ideology in educational institutions”. He said it was “regrettable that educational institutions are increasingly being turned into platforms of propaganda and hate-driven majoritarian narratives targeting young minds, particularly in Jamia Millia Islamia, which has a lofty tradition and strong history”.
Referring to media reports on the protests, Mr. Andrabi said the international community must take note of these developments. “An exclusionary ideology built on hate poses a threat not only to Indian Muslims, their right to life and human dignity, but also to regional peace and security,” he said.
