SDPI Condemns Professor Sahare’s Suspension

Mohammad Elyas thumbe, National General Secretary of the Social Democratic Party of India strongly condemns the arbitrary suspension of Professor Virendra Balaji Sahare, a senior Dalit faculty member in the Department of Social Work at Jamia Millia Islamia, over a legitimate academic question in an examination paper. We deeply disturbed by this blatant assault on academic freedom and intellectual inquiry. The question, which asked students to discuss atrocities against Muslim minorities in India with suitable examples, addresses well documented social realities such as communal violence, lynchings, and discriminatory policies that have plagued our nation. Instead of fostering critical thinking, the university’s hasty decision to suspend the professor and threaten an FIR reflects a cowardly capitulation to external pressures from right wing elements, undermining the very essence of higher education in a democratic society.

This incident is not isolated but part of a disturbing pattern where educators are penalized for highlighting uncomfortable truths about minority oppression and systemic injustices. By labeling such a question as negligent or careless, the authorities are effectively silencing discussions on real social problems, including those affecting Muslims, Dalits, and other marginalized groups. Professor Sahare’s suspension, following the leak of the exam paper on social media and subsequent outrage from Hindutva aligned groups, exposes the shrinking space for dissent in Indian academia. It echoes similar cases at other universities where teachers faced repercussions for questioning dominant narratives, signaling a broader erosion of epistemic autonomy under the current regime.

We demand the immediate revocation of Professor Sahare’s suspension, a public apology from Jamia Millia Islamia, and the dissolution of the inquiry committee, which appears biased and politically motivated. The SDPI stands in solidarity with the professor, students, and academics protesting this injustice, and we urge all progressive forces to unite against such authoritarian tactics. Our party remains committed to defending minority rights, promoting inclusive education, and ensuring that universities remain bastions of free thought, not tools for ideological suppression. Let this serve as a wake up call to safeguard India’s pluralistic fabric before it’s too late