MIT bars Indian-American student Megha Vemuri from graduation ceremony over pro-Palestine speech
New Delhi: The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has barred Class of 2025 president Megha Vemuri from participating in the official graduation commencement ceremony, following a pro-Palestinian speech she delivered at a campus event on Thursday.
Vemuri, an Indian-American student leader, addressed the OneMIT commencement event wearing a keffiyeh, a traditional symbol of Palestinian solidarity. During her speech, she sharply criticized MIT's research collaborations with the Israeli military, accusing the institution of "aiding and abetting" Israel's actions in Gaza. She called for a "free Palestine" and declared that "students of MIT will not tolerate genocide," drawing applause from sections of the audience and widespread attention online.
In a statement released on Friday, MIT confirmed the disciplinary action, without directly naming Vemuri. "While that individual had a scheduled role at today’s Undergraduate Degree Ceremony, she was notified that she would not be permitted at today’s events," said MIT spokesperson Kimberly Allen.
The university stated that the student had misled organisers and disrupted a formal institutional ceremony by deviating from a pre-approved speech. "MIT supports free expression but stands by its decision, which was in response to the individual deliberately and repeatedly misleading Commencement organisers and leading a protest from the stage," Allen said.
The speech, which was widely circulated online by groups including the Palestinian Youth Movement, comes amid intensifying pro-Palestinian activism across U.S. university campuses. Student protesters have been demanding that academic institutions sever financial and research ties with companies and programs linked to the Israeli military.
Vemuri had been scheduled to speak again at Friday’s main graduation event but was formally informed of her exclusion from the proceedings.
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Man arrested with Rs 2.54-crore heroin in Mumbai
Mumbai (PTI): Police have arrested a man and seized over 500 grams of heroin worth Rs 2.54 crore in the illicit market from him in Mumbai, officials said on Friday.
The police's Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) made the drug seizure in Santacruz in the western suburbs. The operation was conducted by the Kandivali unit of the ANC on Thursday as part of a special crackdown against drug trafficking in the area, they said.
Acting on specific inputs, an ANC team conducted a raid in Santacruz (East) and intercepted a man. During a search, the team recovered 508 grams of high-grade heroin from his possession, an official said.
The seized contraband, a highly addictive, opioid drug derived from morphine, is estimated to be worth Rs 2.54 crore in the international market, he informed.
Following the seizure, a case was registered against the man under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and he was formally placed under arrest in the early hours of Friday.
The police are currently investigating the source of the drug and trying to identify the intended recipients of the consignment, he said.
