Shame at Gujarat University

Intolerant societies must not aspire to have foreign students in their universities

The attack on some foreign students at Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, on Saturday night, which left some students injured and at least two hospitalised, should be seen as a combination of mob terrorism, religious intolerance, and disrespect for the country’s guests. A gang of some 25 outsiders entered the Gujarat University campus and attacked students from Sri Lanka, South Africa, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan for offering namaz in the hostel premises. The students were assaulted and their rooms vandalised, and it was a traumatic experience for all of them. After reports of the attack became public, a case has been registered, two persons have been arrested, and investigations are on. The External Affairs Ministry has taken note of the incident and has issued a statement saying it is in touch with the Gujarat government on the matter. There is the need for tough action against all the perpetrators of the violence. 

The response of the university authorities was wanting in attitude and sensitivity. Vice-Chancellor Neerja Gupta has said that “they are foreign students’’ and there is a need for them to be “culturally sensitive”. She also said they need to be “mentored” and culturally sensitised about food habits and conduct in view of the sentiments of the “vegetarian society” in the state. This implies criticism of the students and amounts to blaming them for the attack. The university had the responsibility to make arrangements for Muslim students to offer namaz and observe roza and ensure their safety on the campus. Indian secularism respects all religions and displays of religious observances in public places are not uncommon. But the attacks on Muslim observances are increasing in the country. Recently, a police inspector in Delhi was seen kicking people who were offering namaz in public. There have also been violence in the name of ‘love jihad’ and other communal issues in universities and other places.

There are about 300 foreign students on the Gujarat University campus. The Vice-Chancellor has said that they will be shifted to a separate hostel. This is wrong. Students from different countries and backgrounds need to live together to gain from the experience. That is the very idea of a university and of having foreign students study in Indian institutions. Isolating foreign students will create distance and mistrust, instead mutual understanding through cultural exchange. Universities should encourage and promote freedom, open-mindedness and tolerance among students. India hosts a large number of students from other countries and that gives the country ‘soft power’. Incidents such as the attack at Gujarat University can be a poor advertisement for the country. They can also have international ramifications and adversely affect relations with other countries. It should not be forgotten that there are even larger numbers of Indian students studying in other countries.