TISS cancels talk on caste politics and cow vigilantism

An event organised by a group of students at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) on Friday — where lawyer and politician Prakash Ambedkar and activist Teesta Setalvad were to speak – was not granted permission by the administration citing over-scheduling. However, students say the cancellation was linked to current political scenario.

The program ‘Contemporary Politics of Hatred: Cow Vigilantism, Caste Atrocities and Islamophobia’ was organised by the Students of TISS in resistance (STIR), a collective that was formed to protest the killing of Mohammed Afrazul in Rajasthan.

On Friday morning, STIR announced on its Facebook page that the programme stands cancelled as the administration has not granted permission. “The administration has stated that the reason for cancellation is the scheduling of multiple programs on the same day... We believe that the reasons for cancellation are linked to the current political scenario where those critical of the government are being denied spaces to engage with larger public! In these times when the attacks on various marginalized sections are at a peak, it is very unfortunate that TISS has taken a step back from letting the students discuss and understand the political developments around us” read the post. 

Dr S Parasuraman, Director, TISS said “The students approached us only two days before the event. There are already three events organised within the campus on the same day and around the same time and we could not grant permission”.