© Provided by The GuardianPhotograph: Getty Images
One of India's foremost public intellectuals, known for his trenchant criticism of Narendra Modi's government, has resigned from his post at a prestigious university, fuelling a debate about academic freedoms and what Modi's critics say is a shrinking space for dissent.
© Photograph: Getty ImagesPratap Bhanu Mehta is known for his trenchant criticism of Narendra Modi's government.
Pratap Bhanu Mehta stepped down as a professor of political science at Ashoka University on Monday, writing in his letter of resignation that "my association with the university may be considered a political liability".
Ashoka is an elite liberal arts university in Haryana state, which surrounds Delhi on three sides and is ruled at state level by Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata party (BJP).
Set up seven years ago, Ashoka has attracted prestigious names such as Mehta, who for a time served as the university's vice-chancellor.
On Wednesday another professor resigned in solidarity with Mehta. Arvind Subramanian, an economist and former chief economic adviser to Modi, wrote in his resignation letter that he had been devastated by Mehta's departure. "That even Ashoka - with its private status and backing by private capital - can no longer provide a space for academic expression and freedom is ominously disturbing," Subramanian wrote.
© Provided by The GuardianArvind Subramanian has also resigned from a post at Ashoka University Photograph: Anindito Mukherjee/Reuters
In recent months, academics, journalists, activists and even comedians have been charged with sedition for opposing government policies, whether in demonstrations, on social media or in writing.
Last month the government of Uttarakhand state, ruled by the BJP, announced that people who criticise the government on social media may be disqualified from a government job, grant or contract, bank loans and even a passport.
Several judges have expressed their consternation in recent weeks, arguing that dissent and criticism of the state or ruling party cannot be conflated with sedition.
This month a US-based thinktank downgraded India's democracy rating from free to "partly free", drawing fury from the government, which rejected the rating and said it did not need approval from foreign organisations.
On Thursday a statement by the university's student body demanded Mehta be offered his position back. "We strongly condemn the conditions that led to these resignations and the lack of transparency from the university," the statement said.
With the campus in turmoil, one rumour circulating is that other faculty members could resign. Another is that the university's founders, taken aback at the outrage, may try to persuade Mehta to change his mind.
Amitabh Mattoo, a professor at JNU, a public university in Delhi, said: "JNU is full of vociferous critics of the government and its ideology but no one has felt the need to resign, yet Ashoka's founders haven't the courage to fight pressure."
Another public intellectual, Ramachandra Guha, tweeted: "In its journey thus far, Ashoka University had shown much promise. They may have frittered all that away by the spinelessness of their trustees, who have chosen to crawl when asked to bend."
Parsa Venkateshwar Rao Jr, a political analyst, said it seemed unlikely that the university would want to be rid of Mehta because of his contempt for the government as expressed in his regular Indian Express column.
"I doubt if their reasons are as crude as that, but it's possible perhaps that somewhere along the line they felt his language had become intemperate," Rao said. "He has attacked the government over the farmers' protests and warned that democracy is in danger under Modi."