IISER Pune Cancels Ambedkar Jayanti Event 'Mukti Parv' After ABVP Complaint
Pune: The Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Pune cancelled the student-led ‘Muktiparv’ event which was slated to be held on April 13, marking Dr B. R. Ambedkar’s birth anniversary. The decision was taken following the demand raised by Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) alleging that the speakers invited for the event had ‘Maoist link’.
Apart from this, the ABVP delegation met the DCP Pune Himmat Jadhav, requesting for the cancellation of the event. “ABVP demanded that restrictions must be imposed on radical & casteist speakers during the ‘Muktiparv’ program to be held at @IISERPune. A memorandum was given to the DCP Pune to maintain social harmony and maintain law and order.”
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Only ABVP goons had a problem with the discussion session, so they applied to DCP Pune to stop this talk and Mukti Parv program organized by IISER institute on the occasion of Ambedkar Jayanti was cancelled. pic.twitter.com/PVPpnZ1aCu
— Deepali_Salve (@deepali_writes) April 9, 2025
In response, IISER has stated that as part of the student-led Muktiparv programme, talks were planned at the institute by external speakers who are academicians and experts in the areas of social equality and caste and gender dynamics. The organisers of the programme, including students and faculty mentors from the institution, had followed due processes and undertaken the organization of this event with the intention that no objectionable content should be propagated through the event.
“However, due to the concerns raised, to avoid controversy, we took the decision of not hosting the planned external speakers at this time. The institute remains committed to upholding the ideals set forth by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar both as we observe Ambedkar Jayanti this weekend and through the year,” it said in the statement.
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Moreover, as per the post shared by a student at IISER, only ABVP organisation had raised issue regarding the event. According to a student who posted on X, “Only ABVP had a problem with the discussion session, so they applied to DCP Pune to stop this talk and Mukti Parv program organized by IISER institute on the occasion of Ambedkar Jayanti was cancelled.”
The programme was scheduled from April 2 to 14.
