AIKS Condemns TISS Mumbai for Suspending Dalit Ph.D. Student Ramadas

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The All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) has strongly condemned the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) Mumbai administration for handing down a two-year suspension order on Ramadas, a Dalit Ph.D. scholar and former General Secretary of the Progressive Students’ Forum (PSF). Ramadas has also been debarred from entering any TISS campuses.

Ramadas, a first-generation learner from the Dalit community, is currently a member of the Central Executive Committee of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and Joint Secretary of the SFI Maharashtra state committee. He is also a representative of the ‘United Students’ of India’, a joint platform of different student organizations across the country.

In a statement, the AIKS stated that the suspension order against Ramadas is part of a “diabolical nationwide conspiracy to attack freedom of speech and expression”, which is a fundamental right under the Constitution. The peasants’ body accused the TISS administration of agreeing to be part of this conspiracy and “ridiculously branding Ramadas’ actions as ‘anti-national'”, thereby attacking democratic norms and academic freedom in an institution once renowned for its academic excellence and democracy.

“The suspension of Ramadas is not an isolated incident. It is a part of such increasingly authoritarian attacks on campuses across the country. It is an open warning to all students against criticizing and organizing against the anti-student and anti-education policies of the BJP-RSS central government,” the statement read.

However, the AIKS expressed confidence that the student community would bravely resist such attacks, citing the recent JNUSU elections in Delhi, where the Left students’ united front won a resounding victory over the RSS’ student wing ABVP, as a clear indication of the changing tide.

The AIKS demanded the immediate revocation of the suspension order on Ramadas and called upon students, peasants, and the people as a whole to raise their voices across the country against such “dastardly attacks on freedom and democracy”.

The statement was issued by AIKS President Ashok Dhawale and General Secretary Vijoo Krishnan.

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