New Delhi: Responding to the pro-Palestine protests that have erupted at many universities in the United States, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said India has taken note of the incidents and advocated for a “right balance between freedom of expression, sense of responsibility and public safety and order.”
In a weekly briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We have seen reports on the matter and have been following related events. In every democracy, there has to be the right balance between freedom of expression, sense of responsibility and public safety and order. Democracies in particular should display this understanding in regard to other fellow democracies. After all, we are all judged by what we do at home and not what we say abroad.”
Massive protests have erupted at the Columbia University and other varsities in the US with the students demanding their schools to stop doing business with Israel or any company which is facilitating its advancement in Gaza where over 34,000 Palestinians have been killed so far since the Hamas attack on October 7.
The protests have been predominantly fuelled by the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which has gained momentum among pro-Palestinian groups amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict and the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza prompting international calls for a ceasefire.
Following a protest at Columbia University, similar demonstrations erupted at several other prominent universities including Harvard University, the University of Texas, the University of Southern California, Ohio State University, California State Polytechnic University, New York University, the University of Michigan, the University of Minnesota, Yale University, and the University of California.