A doctoral research proposal citing American linguist Noam Chomsky's criticism of the Narendra Modi government has triggered disciplinary actions against a PhD scholar and his supervisor at South Asian University (SAU), in New Delhi.
The Indian Express reported that a doctoral student had submitted a proposal on Kashmir's ethnography and politics, which was approved by his supervisor before being sent to the dean of social sciences. However, the citation of a private YouTube video, featuring an interview with Chomsky, drew scrutiny.
The controversial video included Chomsky's remarks on Modi's "radical Hindutva tradition" and his alleged efforts to undermine Indian secular democracy. Consequently, the student received a show-cause notice on May 9, requesting an explanation for the citation of the personal recording. The notice also questioned the choice of research topic, raising concerns about the motivations behind the proposal.
In response to the notice, the student and his supervisor, Sasanka Perera, submitted an apology on May 15, and the video was subsequently removed. Despite this, the university formed an inquiry committee to investigate Perera's involvement and the underlying intentions of the research. Perera, a founding member of the university's sociology department and former dean of the faculty of social sciences, resigned following the committee's establishment.
SAU, while confirming the inquiry, denied that the professor's resignation was linked to the PhD proposal. Perera's resignation marked the end of his tenure at SAU, where he had also served as vice president. Before joining SAU, Perera had a long career at the University of Colombo in Sri Lanka.
This incident has intensified concerns about academic freedom in India, which some believe has been eroding under the Modi administration. The Freedom House, in its 2024 report, highlighted the significant weakening of academic freedom in recent years, noting instances of intimidation faced by professors, students, and institutions over political and religious issues.
The SAU was also in the spotlight in June 2023 when it suspended four faculty members who supported student protests against reduced stipends and insufficient representation. Th
is latest incident further underscores the growing tensions and challenges faced by academics in India, particularly when addressing politically sensitive topics.