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Oxford ‘pressured’ to cancel Swamy’s lecture Exeter College, the host venue, apparently deemed Subramanian Swamy and Rajeev Malhotra’s views as concerning, without any explanation.London | 28th Mar 2015![]()
Subramanian SwamyThe Oxford India Society may not be entirely to blame for the cancellation of Dr Subramanian Swamy's lecture at Oxford. External forces may have intervened to ensure the cancellation.Anjul Khadria, the president of the Oxford India Society had invited Subramanian Swamy and Rajeev Malhotra to talk about "Economic development of India over the years" and "Breaking India: Revisioning History", respectively. The plan was for a simple university style lecture, with the students engaging in dialogue with the lecturers afterwards. No debate or panel discussion was conceived. The event generated an unexpected storm of publicity, arousing Exeter College, the host venue, apparently to do some cursory basic research on the lecturers. It seems Exeter deemed the views of the invitees as concerning, without any explanation. After this, some pressure was exerted on the OIS to cancel the lecture. The Sunday Guardian invited two economics professors from Exeter College to comment on the incident, but did not receive any response. It remains a mystery how an economic take could be construed as concerning. The OIS told The Sunday Guardian exclusively, "The talk by Dr Swamy was on India's economy while that of Mr Malhotra was on India's history. The Oxford India Society cancelled the event due to various logistical constraints associated with organization of event, which we could not resolve within the time. We did not have the liberty to postpone the event until we could have addressed these issues. Oxford India Society values free speech very highly and we were keen on organizing a very healthy discussion with Dr Swamy and Mr Malhotra. However, the event faced strong opposition from Indian students and a few faculty members of the university. Also, Oxford University Students' Union's Black and Minority Ethnic Wing asked us to reconsider the event. I would like to state the Oxford India Society is not like Oxford Union. OIS is a part of the University of Oxford and we are obliged to consider the views of wide range of students and staff of the University."{ This newspaper invited two economics professors from Exeter to comment on the incident, but did not receive any response.The Oxford Union (OU) is independent of Oxford University, but the OIS is closely affiliated with all the colleges. The reply suggests this may have had some bearing on the decision to cancel.The reply continues: "We were keen to go for the event with additional speakers for a balanced debate and so we approached various faculty members but due to the paucity of time and long weekend during which the event was scheduled, they were not available. Exeter College who generously allowed us to book the event at their auditorium, also suggested us to get an additional speaker for presenting diverse views to ensure that their policies on diversity and equality were balanced alongside their commitment to freedom of speech. Without an additional speaker, it was not possible to organize the event at their premises. We want to establish OIS as an international hub of frank and open conversation on issues relating to India. Oxford India Society is sincerely committed to freedom of free speech but at the same time, we also respect the views of the wide Indian Community of the University of Oxford. Dr Subramanian Swamy was solely invited on the basis of his economic expertise and credentials...not on any social or religious issues." Amartya Sen, professor of economics and philosophy at Harvard University and a well-known critic of the BJP has close links with Oxford. Could he have been the additional speaker requested to counter-balance Dr Swamy's views? Or was it because Dr Swamy wants Professor Sen prosecuted over the discredited university project of Nalanda where he is still chancellor that the latter used his influence to have the event cancelled?British fans of Dr Swamy and Malhotra will not be disappointed; the pair will be joined by Koenraad Elst for the other three oversubscribed engagements in UK in the coming week.
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It is not the end of free speech, Oxford. Send your students to listen to Dr. Swamy and Rajiv Malhotra to all three oversubscribed engagements .
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