Mumbai: The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) has sought to justify its ban on the student body Progressive Students’ Forum (PSF), claiming that it was primarily done to ‘lessen the workload’ on administration.
While the TISS administration had earlier termed the left-wing organisation ‘illegal and unauthorized forum, with ‘divisive ideologies’, it has now adopted a markedly different tone. In a public notice issued on Saturday, the premier institute also said that it’s reviewing the ban, following a plea by PSF to the institute chancellor DP Singh to reconsider the decision.
“[The ban] was done only to lessen the workload on the Administration, TISS, Mumbai due to upcoming convocation, commencement of academic year, examination, contract management, legal matters, meetings of internal bodies, effective handling of projects, and other day to day administrative work across all campuses.” reads the pubic notice.
The clarification comes merely days after the institute issued the officer order proscribing PSF and threatening students and faculty members with disciplinary action if they participate in any activity by the organisation.
“This group has been engaging in activities that obstruct the institute’s functions, defame the institute, demean members of our community, and create divisions among students and faculty. It has been observed that this group is misleading, distracting and misguiding students from their academic pursuit and harmonious life in the campus,” read the communication.
On Friday, PSF wrote a detailed letter to Singh, defending the organisation’s work and putting the TISS administration in dock for curbing students’ freedom of expression and organisation. It also criticised the ‘strong language’ and attempts to ‘vilify’ the student organisation.
PSF has been a prominent presence at the TISS’s Mumbai and other campuses for the past many years and is known for its activism on various issues concerning the social science institute. In recent months, the group was particularly vocal on the issues of termination of over 100 faculty members, who were later reinstated, and students being evicted from hostels. The group’s members have been part of TISS’s Students Union as well.
The ban is yet another action against student activists by TISS, which has completely been brought under the central government. Earlier, the institute has barred Ramdas KS, a Dalit PhD scholar and PSF member, from its campuses for two years. It had also issued a diktat prohibiting students from organising any event against the inauguration of Ram temple in Ayodhya.
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Several students organisation, including right-wing Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), as well as TISS Teachers Association (TISSTA) came out against the ban.
