Censorship – Academia

Akshay Sawant, a PhD scholar from the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay. The student was suspended on April 28 until December 31, for allegedly giving unauthorised interviews to the media.

Sawant’s suspension followed a media article dated February 19 in which he was quoted as saying, “Every festival is celebrated on our campus. There are several Hindu festivals and most of them including Holi, Diwali, Ganesh Chaturthi, are celebrated with much fervour. The allegations are baseless and merely an attempt to target the department’s liberal environment.” The disciplinary action committee met on April 3, where the student clarified, “I have already stated in the meeting, I wish to inform you that I did not consent to any media personnel or provide any statements for quotation. Media personnel have reported on me without my consent and have misquoted my words.”