PG student, Rishi Tiwari harassed and rusticated for being Hindu [ Karnataka, India]

[ Reported as seen]

Rishi Tiwari, a student from Azim Premji University was harassed and discriminated against for being Hindu by a student mob, in Bengaluru. a group of students gheraoed him and he was verbally abused and physically attacked by the student mob.

On May 2, 2022, the college administration expelled him from participating in any further academic activities after he had a brawl with a Muslim student on the campus over a petty issue.

a post-graduate student for MA development hailing from Ballan village of Banda district in Uttar Pradesh. According to him, has been targeted by professors and other students at the institute over his alma mater – The Banaras Hindu University, for they think it was a bastion of ‘Right Wing’ and his faith Hinduism. He has complained of being labelled as a ‘Sanghi’, ‘a BJP person’, and ‘radical Hindu’ with a motive of abuse.

Tiwari revealed that he was trapped in a fake case for allegedly throwing food on a Muslim student’s face and spitting on him after they had a brawl. Following this incident, a section of students attacked Rishi Tiwari and led a concerted campaign against him, he said.

A fabricated accusation of harassing the Muslim student instead, who is being claimed to be breaking his fast during a brawl with Tiwari. However, without paying any heed to Tiwari’s side, some students of the Azim Premji University have ganged up against him in protest, he said. He is being accused of ‘Islamophobia’ over allegedly mocking a Muslim student, which Tiwari loudly denies.

After the pressure ramped up before the administration, Tiwari was rusticated from the campus and thrown out of his hostel with an immediate effect till December 31, 2022.

Tiwari’s side was never heard and he was already labelled as the perpetrator in a message forwarded to the official group of the university, whereas the process of justice says otherwise.

Tiwari was being subjected to ideological isolation and targeting at the University, and yet the WhatsApp message painted him as a perpetrator of bullying, harassment and assault.

When this incident exposed the bigot nature of the university administration in the media, they refrained from making any comment.

Now, no one will come to check the unethical and racist behaviour of the lethal minority institute.

Being denied the right to self-clarification, the allegations against Rishi Tiwari were more ideological and religious layered with targeting brazen stereotypes of being a ‘Sanghi’ or a ‘BJP supporter’. Meanwhile, Rishi Tiwari has alleged that he was being continuously isolated for wearing his Hindu identity on his sleeves. “If I’m having faith in my identity and belief in the Hindu religion, it isn’t a crime. Having ideological differences doesn’t mean that I have to pay so much in the form of my degree and job,” he says.

Some of the posts that the students circulated wrongly against Tiwari are given below: