Ex-Army top brass engages in online row with IITian

Abhinav in his email said that he was not able to come to terms with the fact that the Institute had given a platform to a speech filled with hatred, and one instigating violence among the students. The lecture was clearly inciting enmity, inhumanity and glorifying brutality. He went on to say that the speaker (GD Bakshi) had constantly made direct and indirect comments that expressed a sense of utter disrespect for human life and a deep rooted sense of hatred and enmity towards the nation’s neighbours. In his letter, Abhinav said, “ I am unable to imagine the fact that we, IIT Madras, gave the speaker a platform to make such insulting comments about our freedom movement, especially in the name of “Special Independence Day Lecture”.

 If this does not show  IIT-M in a bad light, then I don’t know what else does!” The student added that this was not a mere speech with contesting views, but a dangerous  speech. “Anyone who loves humanity, anyone who loves people and not symbols, anyone who wants to eliminate hate and spread love would have cried at the level of hate mongering in the lecture.” 

Abhinav also said, “As much as I want freedom of expression to be upheld, I am seriously concerned, as a student of IIT Madras about the sustenance of peace and harmony among various students of IIT Madras. I hope necessary actions will be taken,”.  Asked about the student’s email on the lecture, IIT Madras Director Prof Bhaskar Ramamurthi said that the students in the EML team decide on the speakers as it’s a student event and the Institute administration is not involved in it. 

Bakshi — known for his fiery, aggressive speeches — is a vocal supporter of the actions taken by the Army in Kashmir.  He frequently appears on live news debate and in one of his frequent appearances he broke down during a debate over the Centre’s mandate on hoisting the national flag in every central university.