Chennai: Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) youth wing members are staging a protest near the campus of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT Madras) in Chennai against banning a students body for criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
IIT Madras had temporarily derecognised a 20-member student body - Ambedkar-Periyar Study Circle(APSC) - for allegedly violating guidelines of the institute. However, the students claim that they have been targeted for being critical of PM Modi and his government's policies.
The National Commission for scheduled castes has also sent a notice to the institute as several members of the student body hail from the Dalit community. The Commission has taken suo motu congisance of the issue stating that students should be ensured freedom of speech and expression and arbitrary bans are not acceptable.
The banning of the students group has turned into a full blown controversy even initiating a war of words between Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi and HRD Minister Smriti Irani.
In his tweets, Rahul criticised the Modi government for stifling dissent and curbing the fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression. However, Smriti mocked Rahul and added that the students' organisation knew that if procedures are not followed, they will be derecognized by Dean.
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