An Indian Postgraduate student at the London School of Economics has alleged that he has been a victim of targeted Hinduphobia at the LSE campus.
Karan Kataria, a native of Gurugram, has alleged that he has fallen prey to the prevalent Anti-India sentiments on the campus. He further alleged that he was disqualified from contesting for the General Secretary post of the LSE Student Union, because of his Hindu and Anti-Indian identity, news agency IANS reported.
"When I started my post-graduate studies at LSE, I sincerely hoped to strive for and further fulfil my passion for student welfare. But my dreams were shattered when a deliberately orchestrated smear campaign was launched against me solely because of my Indian and Hindu identity," the student shared in his twitter post.
Pursuing Masters at the LSE campus, Karan Kataria, was also elected as a delegate to the National Union for Students. Considering his growth in quick time and support from students from all communities in the campus, Karan was later motivated by his peers to contest for the General Secretary post in the LSE Student Union. Despite overwhelming support, he was disqualified from running from the General Secretary Elections of the LSE Student Union.
He further stated that his disqualification was followed by a series of targeted attacks and complaints against him, labelling him as homophobic, Islamophobic, queerphobic, and Hindu Nationalist.
"Instead of identifying and punishing the wrongdoers who initiated this hateful campaign, the LSESU cancelled my candidature undemocratically without providing any proof or evidence of the allegations against me," Kataria added in his twitter post.
He further added that Indian students were bullied and targeted on the polling day for their national and religious identities.
In the meanwhile, another LSE student, Tejashwini Shankar posted a video message on twitter alleging that she has been targeted as well at the LSE for supporting Kataria in the LSE Student Union.
"I have been targeted and taunted based on my religious identity and for supporting a friend in the student union elections. The Student Union refuses to take appropriate action," she tweeted.
"I have filed complaints with the SU (Students Union) regarding the same and calling out the messages for defamation and harassment and I'm yet to receive a response. But the SU has very promptly responded to other complaints and rumours and successfully disqualified Karan from his candidature of the General Secretary.
"This is bullying and harassment at the highest level of international institutions that pride itself on inclusivity and diversity and I very strongly condemn the inaction by the LSE regarding the same," Shankar added.
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