As Israel continues its military operation against Hamas in Gaza in response to the horrific terror attack on 7 October, antisemitism has exploded across the world among left-liberals, apart from Islamists. Such blatant anti-Jew hatred along with hatred for Hindus was displayed at a talk hosted by OP Jindal Global University.
On 1 November, the university organised a talk titled ‘The History and Politics of the Palestinian Present’ by Professor Achin Vanaik, Retired Professor of International Relations and former Head of Department of Political Science at the University of Delhi, now an activist. Several video clips of the professor’s lecture have appeared, which showed that in the name of solidarity with Palestinian civilians in Gaza, he made several antisemitic and anti-Hindu comments. He also attacked the Modi government over India’s stand on the conflict.
While the title of the talk was ‘The History and Politics of the Palestinian Present’, which means the topic was in the context of the current Israel-Hamas conflict, the professor went on to make several anti-Hindu and anti-Hindutva comments. He claimed that Hindus are inherently Islamophobic, but Jews are not.
During his lecture, Professor Achin Vanaik said that although Zionism and Hinduism are similar, they are not same in terms of relationship with Islam. “Zionism is not anti-Muslim, it is anti-Palestinian, but it is happy to piggyback on current Islamophobia. Hindutva is fundamentally and foundationally anti-Muslim”.
An event in support of Hamas, a terrorist organisation was organised in OP Jindal Global University.
— Suresh Nakhua (सुरेश नाखुआ) 🇮🇳 (@SureshNakhua) November 1, 2023
During this event, concerns were raised regarding the potential targeting of Hindu Culture, Hinduism, Hindutva, RSS, BJP & Indian Army which reportedly caused discomfort among… pic.twitter.com/zVAnlrlV78
He also claimed that the assertion that Hindus are original inhabitants of India and Hinduism is among the oldest civilisations is wrong. The professor claimed that the “archaeological and scientific evident shows that Vedic civilisations are much older than the emergence of Vedas by around 2000 years, so now you have to desperately talk about the Saraswati Valley Civilisation.”
Although the full video of the lecture is not available, one of the clips seems to suggest that he was referring to Israeli action against Hamas as terrorism. He said that it is selectively said that ‘killing our soldiers is terrorism but killing their soldiers is not terrorism.’ He gave the example of the Pulwama terror attack, claiming that while it is called terrorism, some other similar attacks are not called terrorism. He was referring to Israel’s operation against Hamas in Gaza.
Professor Achin Vanaik also glorified suicide bombing, a very effective tool of Islamic Jihadi terrorists. He said, ‘Understand one thing about suicide bombing, suicide bombing expresses above all the determination of not to kill so much as the determination to die.’
OP Jindal Global University today organised an event in support of terrorist organisation Hamas.
— Organiser Weekly (@eOrganiser) November 1, 2023
During this event, concerns were raised regarding the potential targeting of Hindu Culture, Hinduism, Hindutva, RSS and BJP which reportedly caused discomfort among some students… pic.twitter.com/Y3oCoOcP6Y
In articles on the Isarael-Hamas conflict that the professor has written, he has called Israel an ‘occupier’, despite the fact that Israel does not occupy the Gaza Strip and Hamas has complete control over it. He also tries to claim that Israel’s military operation against terror group Hamas is terrorism. Writing on The Wire, he wrote that while the October 7 attack was a terror attack as civilians were massacred, adding, “how is it that Israel is able to get away, both before and after the Hamas assault, with its assaults on civilians not being widely recognised at home and abroad as terrorism?”
In relation to his talk hosted by OP Jindal Global University, a shocking email has emerged where a professor of the institute was seen making anti-Hindu comments. The email was written by Dr. Sameena Dalwai, a professor at Jindal Global Law School, to some who was opposed to the lecture by antisemitic anti-Hindu Professor Achin Vanaik. In the mail, professor Dalwai asks to attend the talk first before objecting to it, saying that “It will expand the limited understanding of politics and narrow view of suffering that your email exhibits.”
Dr. Sameena Dalwai claimed that Hamas didn’t do any atrocities on Israeli civilians, and it was all ‘fake news by Indian troll armies’. She wrote, “India’s response has been sad. Fake news of Hamas atrocity is created by Indian troll armies. We know their power- many of us get trolled regularly for our writing.”
She said that her university resects diversity of opinions, unlike other universities who have “reacted shamefully to their faculty, throwing them under the bus.” She added that she hopes it continues. She then went on to say that then right wing students and faculties regularly organise their events, which she does not like by keeps quite.
Sameena Dalwai wrote, “Otherwise, I hear shouts of ‘Jai Sriram’ on campus, I see right wing students and faculty doing their own events. I want to react, but I keep quiet in favour of peace.”
