MIT Professor Suspended For ‘Kasab’ Remark At Student Back On Campus After 6 Months

A professor at Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT), who was suspended for allegedly calling a student ‘Kasab’, is back on campus after 6 months. Vice-chancellor of Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Lt Gen (Dr) M D Venkatesh informed that the professor is back on the campus, but has not been assigned duty yet, according to an Indian Express report. The MIT administration has now closed the case, after the disciplinary action against the professor.

“In fact, the student has also reconciled and did not want any action to be taken against the professor,” Venkatesh said, as per the report.

MAHE had earlier formed a committee to investigate the matter until which the lecturer was suspended pending inquiry. “The professor has not been sacked but has been punished. We have taken a very stringent disciplinary action against him. He is currently under good mentoring and monitoring,” the Vice-chancellor of MAHE added.

Days after the incident, the professor and the student spoke to each other and sorted out the issue, stated the report.

Last year in November, a video of the professor referring to a Muslim student as ‘Kasab’ in the classroom went viral and this stirred a controversy. Following the criticism over his remarks, the MAHE authorities took disciplinary action against the professor.

Kasab was the only Pakistani terrorist who was captured alive in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks in 2008 and was later hanged to death on November 21, 2012.

In the clip that went viral, the student was captured complaining against the ‘Kasab’ remark by the professor. The professor is then seen playing it down by saying it was a “funny thing”. But, the miffed student went on explaining his point adding that, “26/11 was not funny…being a Muslim in this country and facing all of this every day is not funny.” Towards the end of the video, the professor is also seen apologising to the student. To which the student responded saying, “Sorry does not change how you think or how you portray yourself here.”

As soon as the video grabbed attention on social media, MIT released a statement condemning the incident and also ordered a probe into the matter. They put out a notice informing that the institute does not condone this kind of behaviour. They further assured that the incident will be dealt with in accordance with the laid down policies.