The Tata Institute of Social Sciences, which enjoys a reputation as a
liberal campus, attempted to scuttle an online academic lecture that students
had organised on Saturday with Magsaysay award winner and social activist Bezwada Wilson as the speaker.

The students went ahead with the lecture despite a notice from TISS authorities on Friday saying the event lacked permission and warning everyone associated with the institute to stay away from it.

Wilson, a campaigner for the eradication of manual scavenging and caste atrocities and a critic of the government, delivered the Bhagat Singh Memorial Lecture on “Human rights and constitutional values in contemporary times: Role of university
and public”.

The event was organised over Zoom by the Students Organising Committee, an independent forum of TISS students. A video will be made public on Sunday.

“That it has come to the notice of this Institute that some unauthorised student bodies/ organisation claiming itself to be associated with TISS is going to organise an event titled as ‘Bhagat Singh Memorial Lecture’ on 17th February, 2024 via online/ offline mode from 04:00 p.m. onwards,” Friday’s notice from TISS authorities said.

“In this regard, all the students, faculties, staff of the Institute and public at large are hereby informed that organising of such event has not been permitted by this Institute by any means and it has no relation with TISS. Hence, in view of above, all the concern is hereby requested to not to associate the above events with TISS in any capacity,” the error-laden
notice added.

Three students told The Telegraph that TISS students had been organising the Bhagat Singh Memorial lecture since 2018. It was held at the campus amphitheatre till 2020 before Covid forced a shift online in 2021 and 2022.

Last year, human rights activist Harsh Mandar was to speak at the event, also planned at the amphitheatre, but the institute denied permission. It was held online.

The students had informed the institute administration in December 2023 about
the proposed lecture by Wilson.

A few weeks later, the institute issued an order saying no programmes by students would be allowed till new guidelines were notified (at an unspecified date).

“The institute is yet to notify the new guidelines. What we are doing is not illegal, so we have gone ahead with the programme,” a student said.

Another student said the institute had been trying to restrict student-led
activities for the past one year.

“In the name of issuing new guidelines, the institute has been creating hurdles before students’ activities. The students are a major stakeholder and have a say in the institute. Efforts to curb their voice are undemocratic and unacceptable,” the
student said.

A response is awaited to an email sent to acting VC Manoj Kumar Tiwari asking why the institute had objected to the event.