New Delhi: Several Delhi University (DU) faculty members have condemned a discussion on journalist Ashok Shrivastav’s 2024 book Modi vs Khan Market Gang held on campus Thursday, calling the event a “political misuse of publicly funded institutions”.
The faculty members wrote to DU Vice-Chancellor (V-C) Yogesh Singh, expressing concerns that it was inappropriate to hold an event of a “political nature” when the model code of conduct was in force in Delhi. The V-C himself presided over the book discussion, where he said the so-called ‘Khan Market Gang’ played a role in spreading “fake narratives”.
The book discussion was organised by DU, in collaboration with the Council for Media and Public Policy Research and the Hear the Silence Foundation, at a conference hall in the Vice Regal Lodge, the V-C’s office in North Campus.
BJP national joint general secretary (organisation), Sri Shivprakash, was the chief guest, while former BJP MP Jyoti Mirdha and author Ashok Shrivastav were in attendance.
Delhi will hold assembly elections on 5 February, and the results will be out on 8 February.
Responding to the criticism, DU’s south campus director Prakash Singh, part of the organisation team, implied that the event was not entirely linked to the university and said that DU had simply received a request for the use of its space for the event.
“The event was a discussion around the launch of a book. Book launches happen at various venues. The vice-chancellor was invited to attend, which is why he did, especially since the event was being held on DU’s campus,” he told ThePrint.
Asked about objections from some faculty members, he said, “We don’t see anything wrong with it. It’s all about perspective—whether people choose to view it negatively or positively.”
DU Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh did not respond to ThePrint’s messages and calls for comment. This report will be updated if and when he responds.
DU V-C talks about ‘Khan market gang’, fake narratives
Speaking at the event, V-C Yogesh Singh said that ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, a narrative was pushed that this could be India’s last election and accused the ‘Khan Market Gang’ of being behind it.
“There is a powerful world of fake narratives, and the so-called ‘Khan Market Gang’ has played a major role in spreading them. Ashok Srivastava ji discusses this in his book, and while I am not the one making these claims, I do agree with his perspective,” he said.
He added, “This term has nothing to do with the Khan Market area in Delhi as described in the book already. It refers to a group that spreads false narratives about India and its Prime Minister, from New Delhi to New York, as Ashok ji describes in his book.”
“For instance, a fake narrative was spread claiming that India was in worse condition than Pakistan in terms of hunger. No government in history has provided free food to its citizens like our current government has,” he said.
Among the other things he said during the discussion, the V-C emphasised the importance of the “nation’s interest and its protection”.
Arguing that the younger generation needed to be aware of the truth, he said that the term ‘Khan Market Gang’ was first used by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 2019 elections when a narrative of “Chowkidar Chor Hai” (The watchman is a thief)—an Opposition jibe at Modi—was being pushed.
“One of the opposition leaders claimed that the Prime Minister’s strength lay in his image, and that they would destroy it. In response, PM Modi, during an interview, remarked that his image wasn’t created by the ‘Khan Market Gang’ but was the result of 45 years of hard work. This is how the term ‘Khan Market Gang’ entered India’s political discourse,” Singh said.
Singh also questioned international rankings for Indian democracy, highlighting a March 2024 report by V-Dem Institute that labelled India as one of the worst “autocratisers”, ranking it below countries like Nigeria and Kenya. “Despite India having a significant presence on social media, with 60 percent of its population active across various platforms, these reports claim India lacks democracy. The question arises: Who is funding these reports?”
He also questioned how countries like Pakistan and Sri Lanka were being ranked higher than India on the happiness index.
“We live in a world of fake narratives, but Indians are smart enough to see through them…India is a nation of intelligent people, and this book will help make them more aware of the truth. Read it through the lens of the nation’s interest to fight these falsehoods,” Singh added.
‘Political misuse’
Maya John, a DU academic council and an assistant professor at Jesus and Mary College, wrote an email to the V-C Thursday expressing objections over the event.
“I am amazed to find that in a premiere public-funded university, where scores of faculty members routinely publish their work on a myriad issues, including publications in support of the current ruling regime’s policies, or critical of the ruling establishment, the University administration has decided to privilege a publication like that of Mr Ashok Shrivastav, who is an outsider to the University,” she said in the email, seen by ThePrint.
She further wrote: “Moreover, it is an established practice that fora for academic programmes like book releases and discussion are extended by academic departments of a University, and not the office of administrative officials (in this case the Registrar).”
“Further, it is surprising to find the University hosting a programme of this nature when the model code of conduct has already been enforced in the state of Delhi. It is to be noted that top functionaries of a particular political party have been invited to the book release,” she said.
She further said that it was a sign of “politicisation of the University’s administrative office”.
Speaking to ThePrint, Abha Dev Habib, an associate professor at Miranda House, said neither the author nor the topic was connected to DU or its ethos. “This is a political misuse of a publicly funded university.”
“DU has long been known for its modern education and commitment to democratic and secular values, and this event undermines that reputation. The book was launched last year—why hold the discussion now, just before the Delhi elections?”
(Edited by Sanya Mathur)
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