Bengaluru: A professor at a reputed private university in Bengaluru was suspended on Saturday after allegedly calling a Muslim student a “terrorist” multiple times during a classroom session, triggering widespread outrage among students, student organisations, and the public, following the viral circulation of a video of the incident on social media.
The incident reportedly occurred on March 24 at the university’s Banashankari Ring Road campus. According to allegations, Professor Dr. Muralidhar Deshpande repeatedly singled out a Muslim student, identified as Affan, during a lecture, referring to him as a “terrorist” at least 13 times in front of around 60 students.
Dr. Deshpande is also accused of making a series of derogatory remarks, including statements such as “Iran war happened because of people like you,” “Trump will take you away,” and “You are idiots, you will go to hell,” creating what students described as a hostile and humiliating classroom environment for Affan.
The video, widely circulated on social media, shows the professor allegedly targeting the student with offensive comments during class, leading to sharp criticism and condemnation as an instance of religious discrimination and hate speech within an academic institution.
Further allegations suggest that CCTV footage from the classroom, which could have served as key evidence, was deleted, raising concerns about accountability and transparency. Additionally, some students who reportedly supported the victim were allegedly suspended, with the official reason cited as “talking during class.”
While the professor later submitted a written apology to the college administration, he did not directly apologise to the student. The department head is said to have issued an apology on his behalf, and there are claims that the student faced indirect pressure.
Student groups, including the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), have lodged complaints, describing the incident as “religious hate speech” and demanding strict action.
In response to the backlash, the university administration suspended Professor Deshpande and confirmed that an internal inquiry into the matter is underway. The incident has sparked significant concern among students and the public, prompting calls for stricter measures to ensure accountability and prevent discrimination in educational institutions.
With IANS inputs