Karnavati: Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) Gujarat expresses grave concern and unequivocal condemnation over a disturbing sequence of events at IIT Gandhinagar, which signal a deepening ideological bias, silencing of dissent, and a troubling disregard for the cultural and national sentiments of students—particularly those from the Hindu community.

Credible testimonies and internal findings point towards a growing misuse of the Humanities and Social Sciences Department at IIT Gandhinagar as a conduit for promoting selective theological narratives. Alarmingly, a disproportionate number of thesis projects are centered around Islamic themes, raising questions about academic objectivity. More concerning is the apparent endorsement of specific religious perspectives under the guise of academic scholarship. A striking example is the secretive conduct of a thesis defence on the Gujarat riots, supervised by Dr. Ashish Xaxa, which bypassed the established norm of open academic scrutiny—casting a serious shadow over the institution’s commitment to transparency and academic integrity.

ABVP note: Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) Gujarat expresses grave concern and unequivocal condemnation over a disturbing sequence of events at IIT Gandhinagar, which signal a deepening ideological bias, silencing of dissent, and a troubling disregard for the cultural… pic.twitter.com/ausryxl4tL

— DeshGujarat (@DeshGujarat) May 4, 2025

Students who raised concerns or sought to discuss these academic trends were reportedly met with veiled threats of disciplinary action. In particular, emails from Dr. Nishaant Choksi warned students against sharing thesis topics outside the institute, invoking the ‘honor code’ and the potential action by the Student Senate Affairs Committee. This heavy-handed approach reflects an alarming suppression of academic freedom and cultivates a climate of fear and censorship—antithetical to the spirit of open inquiry. Matters were further exacerbated by the hosting of a pro-Palestine solidarity event on campus, which not only politicized the academic environment but also ran counter to India’s stated diplomatic position on the issue.

Equally troubling is the blatant cultural insensitivity displayed by the college administration. Hindu students were denied permission to perform a traditional Lakshmi Pooja during Diwali, even as the institute sanctioned and supported a DJ party featuring inappropriate music on the occasion. On Maha Shivaratri, literature infamous for its anti-Hindu undertones—such as Riddles of Hinduism—was circulated on campus, deepening the alienation of Hindu students. Viewed collectively, these incidents reflect not isolated lapses, but a systematic erosion of India’s cultural ethos and the deliberate cultivation of an ideologically skewed academic space.

ABVP Gujarat firmly holds that India’s premier academic institutions must reflect the values of cultural respect, ideological balance, and student welfare. The unfolding situation at IIT Gandhinagar is troubling and demands urgent redress. We call upon the administration to immediately restore transparency in research practices, protect students from intimidation or punitive threats, and constitute an impartial inquiry into the conduct of faculty members whose actions have fueled an atmosphere of fear and bias. Furthermore, the inaction and complicity of key officials—including the Dean of Student Affairs, Associate Dean, and Dean of Student Welfare— necessitates their removal, as they have failed to uphold the responsibilities and impartiality their offices require.

ABVP Gujarat State Secretary, Samarth Bhatt, stated, ‘ABVP stands resolute in its commitment to preserving academic integrity, safeguarding the cultural and religious rights of all students, and ensuring that our premier institutions remain inclusive, balanced, and free from ideological coercion. If the IIT Gandhinagar administration fails to act swiftly on our demands, ABVP will be constrained to launch campus-wide demonstrations to secure justice and accountability as well as to ensure an academic environment.’