Faculty members from Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Odisha have issued public apologies after a controversial video surfaced showing them making remarks about Nepali students during campus protests.
The protests began in response to the alleged suicide of Prakriti Lamsal, a Nepali student who reportedly took her own life due to harassment. The incident has since sparked widespread outrage, both on and off-campus.
Controversial comments spark outrage
In the viral video, Manjusa Pandey, a faculty member at KIIT, was seen making comments that compared the university’s budget to Nepal’s national budget.
Pandey claimed, “We are feeding and teaching over 40,000 students for free.” The comment immediately triggered a backlash from the Nepali community and beyond.
Another faculty member, Jayanti Nath, was heard remarking, “That is equivalent to your country’s budget.” This further added fuel to the controversy.
The remarks were made amidst a campus protest where students were demanding justice for Lamsal, who allegedly died after facing harassment.
Videos triggered tensions, led to clashes between students, security personnel
The video, which quickly went viral, intensified tensions, leading to clashes between students and security personnel.
The university’s response initially added to the controversy, with reports indicating that KIIT had planned to expel Nepali students, a decision that was later reversed after widespread criticism.
Both Pandey and Nath issued public apologies, stating that their comments were made in the heat of the moment and did not reflect their true feelings or the values of KIIT.
Pandey explained that her comments were “spur of the moment” and expressed regret for any distress caused to the Nepali students or the people of Nepal.
Nath, on the other hand, clarified that her remarks were made in response to claims during the protests that India and KIIT were “corrupt and poor”. She asserted that her intention was to counter these allegations, not to demean Nepal or its citizens.
In addition to the faculty’s apologies, KIIT itself also issued a formal statement expressing regret for the incident and condemning the faculty members’ remarks as “extremely irresponsible”.
The university emphasised its commitment to inclusivity and reiterated that it had never intended to cause harm to any student. KIIT’s leadership also removed the two officers involved in the incident from their duties.
Odisha govt steps in, forms investigation committee
The Odisha government has stepped in, forming a high-level committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding Lamsal’s tragic death and the university’s handling of the situation.
The committee, headed by the Home Secretary, will examine the university’s response, including the decision to ask Nepali students to vacate the campus.
The incident has garnered international attention, with Nepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and the Indian Embassy in Nepal calling for a thorough investigation.
Local political leaders in Odisha have also voiced strong concerns, with some calling for a judicial inquiry into the matter and demanding accountability from KIIT’s leadership, particularly the founder Achyuta Samanta.
TNR
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