The suspension has drawn criticism from civil rights groups and academics, who argue it signals a disturbing threat to personal privacy and academic freedom in an increasingly intolerant environment
Published May 09, 2025 | 11:25 PM ⚊ Updated May 09, 2025 | 11:25 PM
SRM University suspends assistant professor (https://www.srmist.edu.in/#)
Synopsis: Lora, an assistant professor at SRMIST near Chennai, has been suspended over a WhatsApp status allegedly critical of Operation Sindoor. Civil rights groups and academics have raised concerns over privacy and academic freedom. The university cited “unethical activities” in the suspension order, without detailing the specific nature of the alleged misconduct, and announced an internal inquiry
Lora, an assistant professor at SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRMIST), Kattankulathur located on the outskirts of Chennai, has been suspended after allegedly posting a WhatsApp status critical of ‘Operation Sindoor’, the recent military strike launched by the Indian Army against terror infrastructure in Pakistan and PoK.
The move has sparked a growing chorus of concern from civil rights advocates and academics, who say it represents a troubling erosion of individual privacy and academic freedom.
A suspension order by SRMIST Registrar S Ponnusamy, stated that the faculty member was “involved in unethical activities” and placed her under immediate suspension pending an internal inquiry. The order did not specify the exact nature of the “unethical” conduct.
Multiple faculty members at SRMIST confirmed the suspension to South First on condition of anonymity.
South First made multiple attempts to reach SRMIST registrar S Ponnusamy for clarification. On the first call, his assistant responded and said, “Sir is in a meeting. He will return your call within an hour.” However, no call was returned. Subsequent attempts to reach the registrar went unanswered.
The controversy erupted after a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) functionary @erbmjha shared screenshots of the professor’s WhatsApp status on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter), tagging the university and questioning whether it endorsed her views. The post also included a screenshot of the professor’s profile from the university website.
“Ever since the Operation Sindoor strike, she’s been posting stories against the Army. Do you endorse this, @SRM_Univ?” the BJP member wrote.
Soon after, BJP Tamil Nadu state secretary SG Suryah praised SRMIST’s decision, stating on X, “Kudos to SRM University for taking action. Ensure she is never hired anywhere else again.”
In response to the suspension, educationist PB Prince Gajendra Babu issued a strong statement titled “An Appeal to Fellow Citizens”, condemning the institutional response and framing the episode as a violation of constitutional values.
He spoke with South first, “A private WhatsApp message being circulated in public by a third person is a breach of individual privacy and personal liberty. The concerned educational institution, succumbing to pressure, suspending the faculty member for her personal views posted on her personal social media account is unbecoming of an educational institution.”
He linked the case to another recent incident in Telangana, where a professor was reportedly targeted for her anti-war social media post. “Expression of opinion against war is not anti-national. Providing space for dissent is democracy,” he said.
Gajendra Babu raised questions not just about privacy, but about the nature of patriotism and the boundaries of acceptable dissent. He criticised the use of religious symbolism in naming military operations, calling it “unheard of in history,” and inappropriate for a secular state.
“A citizen has every right to condemn the practice of a military operation being named with a religious sentiment,” he said, while adding, “Terming the dissent as unpatriotic is cowardice. It is shielding the mistake committed by people in power.”
In his statement, Gajendra Babu called for the suspension to be revoked and demanded action against the political functionary who publicly shared the professor’s private status and personal details.
“Action should be initiated against the office bearer who breached the privacy of a female assistant professor and endangered her safety,” he said.
He reiterated that freedom of expression is a cornerstone of democracy. “We are not under dictatorship. We are a democratic nation,” he said.
As of Friday evening, SRMIST had not released a formal statement or clarified the specific reasons for the assistant professor’s suspension. The registrar’s assistant initially responded but failed to follow up as promised. Further calls from South First went unanswered.
The incident has reignited debates around freedom of speech in academic spaces, the politicisation of dissent, and the vulnerability of individuals, especially women, to online targeting and institutional censure for expressing personal views.
(Edited by Ananya Rao)
