Right backs Left: ABVP opposes ‘abrupt and irrational’ ban on student body PSF by TISS
Mumbai (PTI): The RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad has come out in support of its ideological rival and Left-leaning student group at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) which has been banned by the premier deemed university, contending educational institutions should be bastions of free speech and democratic participation.
The ABVP said on Thursday that the "abrupt and irrational" banning of the student group risks causing significant unrest among such bodies.
Such a step could severely impact the integrity of future student council elections, a cornerstone of democratic process, noted the campus wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
On August 19, the TISS, a premier institute under the Union Ministry of Education, banned the Progressive Students Forum (PSF-TISS). It said the PSF has been engaging in activities that obstruct the institute's function and defame it.
The TISS also warned any attempt by the PSF to organise or participate in unauthorised events will be met with "immediate intervention and consequences".
The PSF has had several run-ins with the TISS administration in the past.
The ABVP said it firmly believes educational institutions should be bastions of free speech and democratic participation. The presence of various student organisations is essential for fostering a healthy discourse and ensuring that the diverse views of the student community are represented.
"The sudden and unjustified ban on student organisations at the TISS is a direct attack on these principles," ABVP secretary Nidhi Gala argued.
The Democratic Secular Students Forum (DSSF), a right-wing student body at the TISS, said a ban on campus outfits strikes at the heart of what makes the premier institute a leading academic body.
DSSF, in a statement, said these groups have always played a crucial role in ensuring that the voices of all students are heard and that campus remains a space for healthy democratic activism.
While DSSF acknowledges that student groups may have diverse opinions and ideologies, it believes these differences are essential for fostering a culture of critical thinking and debate, said the statement.
"DSSF has consistently opposed the non-democratic activities of PSF and its sympathisers and will continue to stand in opposition to all such activities. However, we do not support any action that violates the basic democratic rights of students," the statement added.
The TISS was established in 1936 as the Sir Dorabji Tata Graduate School of Social Work. In 1944, it was renamed as the Tata Institute of Social Sciences. In 1964, it was declared deemed to be a university under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act (UGC), 1956.
According to its website, since its inception, the vision of the TISS has been to be an institution of excellence in higher education that continually responds to changing social realities through the development and application of knowledge.
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Austrian police detain suspect in case of rat poison found in baby food jars on supermarket shelves
Vienna (AP): Police in eastern Austria say a 39-year-old suspect has been arrested after rat poison turned up in some HiPP baby food jars on supermarket shelves in central Europe.
HiPP, which recalled some of its baby food jars in Austria, Slovakia and the Czech Republic after the case came to light last month, said in a statement Saturday it was “greatly relieved” by the arrest, and would provide further updates as verified details come in.
The Burgenland State Criminal Police Office, under the direction of prosecutors, said a probe was launched after poison turned up in a baby food jar purchased at a supermarket in the city of Eisenstadt on April 18.
It said the suspect was being questioned, and that no further details would be immediately provided. The Burgenland public prosecutor's office has announced an investigation into suspected “intentional endangerment of the public.”
The Austrian Press Agency reported that an expert report on the toxicity of the poison was pending. A total of five tampered baby food jars were seized before they could be consumed, APA reported.
Authorities said previously they believe the tampering occurred in 190-gram (6.7-ounce) jars of baby food made with carrots and potatoes for 5-month-olds that were sold from SPAR supermarkets in Austria.
HiPP responded by recalling all of its baby food jars sold at SPAR supermarkets — which include SPAR, EUROSPAR, INTERSPAR and Maximarkt stores — in Austria as a precaution. Vendors in Slovakia and the Czech Republic also removed all of the brand's baby jars from sale.
The company said the recall was not due to any product or quality defect on its part, and said the jars left its facility in “perfect condition.”
Police said a customer at the time of the discovery had reported that a jar appeared to have been tampered with, but no one had consumed the baby food.
