Mumbai: The RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on Thursday came out in support of its ideological rival and Left-leaning student group at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) which has been banned by the premier deemed university, contending educational institutions should be bastions of free speech and democratic participation.
The ABVP said the "abrupt and irrational" banning of the student group risks causing significant unrest among such bodies.
Such a step could severely impact the integrity of future student council elections, a cornerstone of democratic process, noted the campus wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
On August 19, the TISS, a premier institute under the Union Ministry of Education, banned the Progressive Students Forum (PSF-TISS). It said the PSF has been engaging in activities that obstruct the institute's function and defame it.
The TISS also warned any attempt by the PSF to organise or participate in unauthorised events will be met with "immediate intervention and consequences".
The PSF has had several run-ins with the TISS administration in the past.
The ABVP said it firmly believes educational institutions should be bastions of free speech and democratic participation. The presence of various student organisations is essential for fostering a healthy discourse and ensuring that the diverse views of the student community are represented.
"The sudden and unjustified ban on student organisations at the TISS is a direct attack on these principles," ABVP secretary Nidhi Gala argued.
The Democratic Secular Students Forum (DSSF), a right-wing students body at the TISS, said a ban on campus outfits strikes at the heart of what makes the premier institute a leading academic body.
DSSF, in a statement, said these groups have always played a crucial role in ensuring that the voices of all students are heard and that campus remains a space for healthy democratic activism.
While DSSF acknowledges that student groups may have diverse opinions and ideologies, it believes these differences are essential for fostering a culture of critical thinking and debate, said the statement.
"DSSF has consistently opposed the non-democratic activities of PSF and its sympathisers and will continue to stand in opposition to all such activities. However, we do not support any action that violates basic democratic rights of students," the statement added.
The TISS was established in 1936 as the Sir Dorabji Tata Graduate School of Social Work. In 1944, it was renamed as the Tata Institute of Social Sciences. In 1964, it was declared deemed to be a university under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act (UGC), 1956.
According to its website, since its inception, the vision of the TISS has been to be an institution of excellence in higher education that continually responds to changing social realities through the development and application of knowledge.