New Delhi: An Indian postgraduate law student at the London School of Economics (LSE), has alleged that he was “vilified” and disqualified from running for the post of general secretary in the students’ union election because of his Hindu identity.
While 22-year-old Karan Kataria’s allegations have triggered an outpouring of support from the Hindu diaspora, the LSE students’ union has maintained that he was disqualified because he broke election rules.
In a tweet earlier this week, Kataria, who is from Haryana, claimed that he was subjected to “personal, vicious, and targeted attacks” due to “anti-India rhetoric and Hinduphobia”. He also accused the LSE students’ union (LSESU) of being “xenophobic” and “biased”.
Indian-origin LSE students on campus who spoke to ThePrint claimed Kataria faced accusations of being “Islamophobic, homophobic and a Hindu nationalist” when he was campaigning for the elections.
The students claimed that a WhatsApp message containing these allegations was forwarded widely, although its source remains unknown. Following the message and the subsequent uproar, he was disqualified from the race for the position of general secretary, they alleged. Some also claimed that other Hindu students were targeted in the wake of the controversy.
Kataria’s disqualification has resulted in Hindu diaspora groups showing their support to him, students said. Some even claimed that Indian-origin British parliamentarian Karan Bilimoria has been apprised of the situation.
Meanwhile, LSESU in an official response said that the candidate was disqualified because he breached a rule pertaining to maintaining a physical distance of at least 2 metres from voters.
The episode is reminiscent of the case of Rashmi Samant, who had alleged in 2021 that she had been forced to resign as the students’ union president of Oxford University because of her religious beliefs, leading to an outcry about “Hinduphobia” on the campus.
Back then, various societies at Oxford University had denied her charge and said she was asked to step down because of certain opinions she had voiced in social media posts. Samant has now expressed support for Kataria, tweeting that the incident “brings back the simmering issue of deep rooted Hinduphobia” on international campuses.
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‘Other Indian students on campus were targeted too’
In a letter posted on his Twitter handle, Kataria said that he was targeted by some individuals who “could not bear to see an Indian-Hindu leading the LSESU”. He said that people “resorted to vilifying” his character and identity in “what was clearly in line with the alarming cancel-culture”.
I have faced personal, vicious, and targeted attacks due to the anti-India rhetoric and Hinduphobia. I demand that the @lsesu is transparent about its reasoning.
I will not be a SILENT victim of Hinduphobia.
@LSEnews @HCI_London @BobBlackman pic.twitter.com/65LKaFAI7J
— Karan Kataria (@karanatLSE) April 2, 2023
Claiming he was disqualified from the general secretary election despite “receiving immense support from students of all nationalities”, he added that “LSESU’s actions show an authoritarian, undemocratic, xenophobic, and biased mindset that cannot digest social harmony, diversity, and an engaging Indian-Hindu student”.
Kataria futher alleged that other Indian students were “bullied” about their national and religious identity on the last polling day too but nothing was done about it.
Kataria has urged the LSE leadership to support him and “ensure justice prevails in the interest of all students”.
“Let us uphold the values of Dr B.R. Ambedkar’s alma mater and ensure that all voices are heard on this big, diverse campus,” he added in his letter.
Meanwhile, other Indian students on the LSE campus have claimed that after the message against Kataria was allegedly circulated, they too were targeted.
One student, Tejashwini Shankar, posted a video on Twitter, alleging that she and others were “harassed” because they were supporting Kataria in his campaign.
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.#discriminationoncampus #karan4gensec @lsesu @LSEnews @PMOIndia @HCI_London @mkstalin @karanatLSE pic.twitter.com/lX6uZlbJj3
— Tejashwini Shankar (@tejashwini_v__) April 3, 2023
“I and a few others who were campaigning for Karan were bullied, targeted, and harassed both on campus and online,” she said in the video.
“I have filed complaints with the LSESU… and am yet to receive a response. But, the SU has very promptly responded to other complaints and the rumours and successfully disqualified Karan from his candidature of the general secretary,” she added.
She further said that this is “bullying and harassment at the highest levels of international institutions that pride themselves on inclusivity and diversity”.
A member of the UK-based Hindu diaspora who is supporting Kataria also claimed that he was not given a proper hearing when he challenged his disqualification. The source claimed Kataria had been asked to appear before a four-member panel, but only two members attended, one of them over an online call.
LSE’s reaction
When asked about the incident, LSE media relations officer Molly Rhead directed ThePrint to the statement issued by the students’ union Monday.
Without naming Kataria, this statement claimed that the election had been “breached by a candidate”, resulting in LSESU taking the “difficult decision to disqualify them” from this year’s election for the position of general secretary.
The statement also quoted the rule in question: “Candidates and campaigners must maintain a reasonable distance (around 2 metres) from anyone who is casting their vote. You cannot, under any circumstances, stand over a student or talk to them while they are voting — even if they ask you for help. If they are struggling to vote, take them to an SU polling station or ask them to email us.”
Not delving into specifics, the statement acknowledged that “given the impact this experience has had on some of the candidates involved, we will be conducting an external review this time around and will endeavour to update the community accordingly”.
It also reiterated that LSESU had a “zero-tolerance stance” towards any form of harassment and bullying, and outlined channels through which students could lodge complaints.
Support for Kataria
Several Hindu diaspora groups and Indian students have come out in support of Kataria on social media, prominent among them being Rashmi Samant.
“When I was attacked, harassed, bullied and humiliated at the University of Oxford for my Hindu Dharma, origins and background, I prayed that it should never happen to another Hindu on campus,” she said in one of a series of tweets.
In another, she said Kataria’s story highlighted Hinduphobia on campuses and in academia across the world, “which under the guise of liberty, curtail the rights of historically persecuted communities like the Hindus”.
Speaking to ThePrint, Akash Mehta, a former member of LSE’s Court of Governors and the Council, which is the institute’s highest governing body, said that the Indian alumni network is doing what it can to support Kataria.
“What happened with Karan is selective enforcement against a person and it is not fair,” Mehta said. “We have been extending our support to him by talking to the authorities at LSE and telling them to fix it and give him a proper chance at getting justice.”
(Edited by Asavari Singh)
This is an updated version of the story. An earlier version included a quote from an ‘LSE student’. The person is not a student and the quote has been removed. The error is regretted
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