Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Smriti Irani on Saturday said the decision to revoke the ban imposed by Indian institute of Technology (IIT) Madras on Ambedkar-Periyar Study Circle (APSC) lies with the students' council of the institution, and added that such a move cannot be taken on the basis of a 'whim' of a political organisation.
Reacting to the NSUI's demand to withdraw the ban on the APSC for allegedly criticizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Irani said, "The students' council of IIT Madras decides what action has to be taken or what decision has to be taken. You cannot trample the rights of a democratically-elected student body in an institution just at the whim of a political organization."
On Friday, IIT Madras had justified its decision to ban the group, clarifying that the body was merely temporarily de-recognised for violating the guidelines of the institute.
The institute had earlier de-recognised the APSC over an anonymous complaint to the Central government that it was trying to spread hatred towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi's policies by distributing
provocative pamphlets and posters in the campus, igniting a massive controversy.