Kolkata: ISI students take out rallies, put up posters on inclusiveness post hateful graffiti row

Kolkata, Nov 15 (PTI) Researchers and students of the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) put up posters and took out rallies inside the campus, denouncing graffiti containing hateful messages against a community, which had recently surfaced within its premises.

Two such graffiti near the ISI men’s hostel were found a day after the blast near the Red Fort in Delhi, in which 13 people were killed.

A note that read “dogs shouldn't enter the premises” on one side of a door was prefixed with two words naming a particular community. A similar message solely targeting the community was also found on an adjacent wall.

The ISI students put up posters that flashed texts such as “no place for religious bigots” and "no restrictions on memberships on the basis of religion, gender, caste and creed".

Ranvir Kumar, a researcher told PTI, “We also took out a rally inside the campus on Friday against the attempts in some quarters to sully the image of ISI, an institution upholding the spirit of pluralism, secularism and unity in diversity.” Apart from students and researchers, several faculty members also took part in the rally.

The ISI students have demanded stern action against those who wrote the hate messages.

Condemning the act, ISI Director Sanghamitra Bandyopadhyay had said the institute has always stood for pluralistic traditions and promoted academic and research excellence against any gender-based religious and linguistic discrimination.

"We are working to find the individual or group involved in the act. After the semester exams are over, we will take whatever remedial measures are needed, including counselling of those found to be involved," she had said. PTI SUS RBT