Bengaluru Professor Faces Legal Action for Alleged Islamophobic Remarks in Class

Incident Overview

Authorities in Bengaluru have initiated a suo moto case against a professor from PES University for reportedly labeling a Muslim student as a “terrorist” during a class session, as reported by local news sources.

The incident, which took place on Tuesday, was captured on video by a fellow student and quickly circulated on social media, sparking protests among student groups.

Muralidhar Deshpande, an adjunct professor in the commerce department, allegedly made derogatory comments about the student in front of approximately 60 classmates.

While the exact cause of the outburst remains unclear, reports indicate that the professor began shouting after the student requested permission to leave the classroom.

University Response

The university took immediate action by suspending Deshpande on Friday while an investigation is conducted.

Chancellor Jawahar Doreswamy stated that the institution is currently verifying the video's authenticity and reviewing the circumstances surrounding the incident.

“We have CCTV in every classroom and have instructed our technical team to authenticate the footage,” Doreswamy mentioned. “The faculty member has been suspended, and the management's disciplinary committee will examine the evidence.”

Legal Proceedings

The Giri Nagar Police initially filed a non-cognizable report following a complaint from the National Students’ Union of India, the student wing of the ruling Congress party in the state. However, a suo moto case was registered against the professor on Saturday.

The charges include sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita related to actions intended to incite religious outrage and intentional insults aimed at provoking a breach of peace.

Deshpande allegedly made additional inflammatory remarks, including statements about the Iran war and comments directed at the student regarding former President Trump, although these were not clearly audible in the viral video.

Concerns Raised

Concerns have been raised regarding the potential deletion of security footage, with allegations that evidence may have been tampered with. Furthermore, it has been reported that several students who supported the Muslim student faced disciplinary action.

The Karnataka chapter of the Students Islamic Organisation of India condemned the incident, labeling it as a manifestation of Islamophobia within an educational setting.