We examine the identity of retired professor Achin Vanaik, whose anti-Hindu comments forced IIT-Bombay to cancel his lecture after protests by students
On Tuesday, IIT-Bombay cancelled a scheduled lecture on the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict by Achin Vanaik, a retired professor and former head of the Department of Political Science at Delhi University. The Institute’s Department of Humanities informed students about the cancellation through an email, originally planned for Monday evening but later changed to Tuesday evening, citing unforeseen circumstances.
Who is ex-DU Professor Achin Vanaik as protest erupts in IIT Bombay over his guest lecture
Why IIT-Bombay students protested to cancel Vanaik’s lecture?
On November 7th, IIT Bombay officially announced the cancellation of a scheduled talk by Achin Vanaik, a retired professor turned activist known for his controversial stance on issues such as supporting Hamas and expressing anti-Hindu views. The Department of Humanities and Social Science initially scheduled the lecture for Monday evening. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, they rescheduled it to Tuesday and ultimately canceled the event.
Vanaik is a retired professor of international relations and former head of the Department of Political Science at the University of Delhi and is now an activist.
Achin Vanaik is an associate of the Netherlands based The Transnational Institute that is funded by George Soros's Open Society Foundation. Acc to Influence Watch a combined total of US $2.9 million were given to TNI from 2016-2021. pic.twitter.com/ckkYBu4vLV
— Sagar Chaudhary (@Sagarcasm_Bawla) November 8, 2023
UPDATE:
IIT Bombay cancelled prof. Achin Vanaik's lecture due to "unforeseen circumstances".
Thanks to group of IIT-B students who wrote to director against concerning event.
This is power of people and power of social media.🙌🏼 pic.twitter.com/M5Z4EHHr5E
— The Hawk Eye (@thehawkeyex) November 7, 2023
In response to Vanaik’s recent remarks and opposition from some IIT-B students, the Department sent emails to students, explaining the cancellation and expressing regret for any inconvenience caused. The students, operating under the X handle, had earlier requested the authorities to cancel the talk and implement strict policies to prevent similar events in the future. They highlighted Vanaik’s controversial statements, including those glorifying suicide bombers.
How Achin Vanaik reacted to the decision of IIT-Bombay?
Vanaik stated disappointment about the cancellation, emphasizing that there had been a misinterpretation of his previous statements. He highlighted the significance of the Israel-Palestine conflict and voiced apprehension that the cancellation resulted from students’ demands. The controversy surrounding Vanaik intensified after his talk at OP Jindal University on November 1, where he made anti-religious, antisemitic, and anti-Hindu comments, as captured in viral clips.
Additionally, Vanaik criticized the Modi government, asserted that Hindus are inherently Islamophobic, and praised suicide bombing as a tool for Islamic Jihadi terrorists. He also compared Zionism and Hindutva, claiming that while Zionism is anti-Palestinian, Hindutva is fundamentally anti-Muslim. Despite Vanaik’s claim that his views were changed, the cancellation of his IIT Bombay talk came after concerns raised by students and his controversial remarks at OP Jindal University.