London, United Kingdom: On April 2, an Indian-origin student from LSE Law School, The London School of Economics and Political Science, Karan Kataria exposed Hinduphobia and anti-India rhetoric prevalent on the LSE campus.
Karan Kataria posted on social media that he was disqualified from contesting elections for the LSE Student Union after a smear campaign was launched against him. He said, “Unfortunately, some individuals could not bear to see an Indian-Hindu leading the LSESU and resorted to vilifying my character and very identity in what was clearly in line with the alarming cancel culture which is uprooting our social communities.
Another round of controversy surrounded his disqualification. It was his alleged links with the RSS and Hindu nationalism. Firstpost reported that Mukulika Banerjee, a professor of Anthropology at the London School of Economics and Political Science and the inaugural director of the LSE’s South Asia Centre. She has been a close associate of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, and could have been powering this hate campaign against Karan Kataria.
She has long been bandying ‘Muslims under attack in India’ rhetoric in the Western press. She has been, through her courses, teaching, and supervision, perpetrating Left-Liberal, anti-Hindu propaganda, sources claimed. Mukulika had joined Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ and hosted him in London.
Firstpost accessed WhatsApp chats and calls where Mukulika Banerjee, who is bound by rules of ethics that bar the academia to interfere in students’ matters, allegedly went out of her way to demonise Karan Kataria for having connections with the RSS.
Following such alleged instigations by Mukulika Banerjee, a malicious campaign was launched against Karan Kataria on almost all social media platforms, including internal fora of the LSE.
“Despite receiving immense support from students of all nationalities, I was disqualified from the General Secretary election of the LSE Student Union. The allegations against me ranged from being homophobic, Islamophobic, queerphobic, and Hindu Nationalist,” he said. Furthermore, he told, “Following it, multiple complaints were lodged against me. Many false accusations were made to discredit my image and character when, to the contrary, I have always advocated for positive change and social harmony.”
He claimed, “Instead of identifying and punishing the wrongdoers who initiated this hateful campaign, the LSESU cancelled my candidature undemocratically without providing any proof or evidence of the allegations against me. This decision is a gross violation of the principles of natural justice. The LSESU conveniently disqualified me without hearing my side of the story or revealing the votes I received.”
“Moreover, on the last polling day, Indian students were bullied and targeted for their national and Hindu religious identities. The students raised this issue, but the LSESU brushed it aside by not acting against the bullies.
The silent treatment of the students’ complaints about such unacceptable behaviour also justifies the accusation of Hinduphobia against the LSESU,” he said. Furthermore, he added, “As a social sciences student, I strongly believe in upholding democratic values and respecting the personal opinions and ideologies of others. However, the LSESU’s actions show an authoritarian, undemocratic, xenophobic, and biased mindset that cannot digest social harmony, diversity, and an engaging Indian-Hindu student.”
It is pertinent to note that Karan Kataria comes from a middle-class farmer’s family in the state of Haryana and is a first-generation university-level graduate in his family. Furthermore, he was elected as the cohort’s Academic Representative and as a Delegate to the National Union for Students. He has extensively engaged in student welfare-related positions at the LSE.
On April 3, LSE student and Karan Kataria’s friend Tejashwani Shakar revealed how she has been targeted based on her religious identity at LSE. She tweeted, “I have been targeted and taunted based on my religious identity and for supporting a friend in the student union elections. The Student Union refuses to take appropriate action.#discriminationoncampus #karan4gensec@lsesu @LSEnews @PMOIndia @HCI_London @mkstalin @karanatLSE”
Rashmi Samant
It is pertinent to note that Karan Kataria is not the first victim of Hinduphobia, Rashmi Samant was bullied and harassed after she was elected the president of the Oxford University Students’ Union in February 2021.
Rashmi Samant (@RashmiDVS) commented on Karan Kataria’s incident, “When I was attacked, harassed, bullied and humiliated at the University of Oxford for my Hindu Dharma, origins and background, I prayed that it should never happen to another Hindu on Campus. @karanatLSE ‘s story and experience from @LSEnews is absolutely heartbreaking!”
“It brings back the simmering issue of deep rooted Hinduphobia not just in the UK but on campuses and in academia across the world, which under the guise of liberty, curtail the rights of historically persecuted communities like the Hindus,” she added.
She continued, “It is not Karan’s fault that he aspires to be a leader. He has every right to be one. Being Hindu does not make him less worthy of taking charge and creating change on any platform of his choice. @LSEnews we demand transparency!”
It is not Karan's fault that he aspires to be a leader. He has every right to be one. Being Hindu does not make him less worthy of taking charge and creating change on any platform of his choice. @LSEnews we demand transparency!
— Rashmi Samant (@RashmiDVS) April 2, 2023
“This incident brings back a personal trauma to the surface, when I was not allowed to take office as the rightfully elected First Female Indian President of the Oxford Student Union due to the mindless cancel culture that continues to prey on the most underrepresented communities,” she added.
