‘Security concern’: Zoya Hasan lecture at central Delhi school cancelled

A lecture by Zoya Hasan at Sardar Patel Vidyalaya was cancelled due to alleged security concerns after VHP members reportedly protested outside.

New Delhi: A lecture by political scientist and former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) professor Zoya Hasan was allegedly cancelled at the last minute at Sardar Patel Vidyalaya in central Delhi on Friday, with the school citing “security concerns”, according to Hasan.

‘Security concern’: Zoya Hasan lecture at central Delhi school cancelled

Hasan said a security official from the school informed her that the lecture had been cancelled “because there was a threat to her safety”. Teachers at the school, who sought not to be identified, alleged that the decision came after “members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) gathered outside the school”.

To be sure, the Delhi Police denied that any such gathering took place and said it had not received any complaint or request for assistance from the school management.

School principal Anuradha Joshi did not respond to HT’s queries sent by e-mail, WhatsApp, and on call.

VHP spokesperson Vinod Bansal denied the allegations of a protest outside the school. He added that it is in the interest of society that “such anti-national supporters are kept away from public platforms”.

A teacher involved in the programme said preparations had been underway for several weeks and that students were informed about an hour before the scheduled event that Hasan would not be attending. “Just an hour before the programme, we were told by an administration staff and the principal that the chief guest would not be attending. The administration official also said there were a few VHP members protesting outside the school, and the school’s manager told us that the police had refused to provide security to professor Hasan. The manager also told us if the situation escalated, safety of the students could be compromised,” a teacher, who sought not to be identified, said.

The Delhi Police, however, said there was no protest or gathering outside the school.

“We received no call or information from the school regarding any protest. No one had gathered. If we were informed of any such gathering, we would have sent a team immediately,” a senior police officer said.

While claiming that VHP does not have to do anything with the protest, spokesperson Bansal said, “It is not appropriate for a prestigious school, run in the name of Sardar Patel Ji, to invite a chief guest who has insulted our Iron Man. We are satisfied that the school administration prevented such a person from attending the programme and thereby protected the minds of its students from any new ‘infection’ that could be spread. It is in the interest of society that all such anti-national supporters and associates of the ‘tukde-tukde gang’ be kept away from public platforms.”

Teachers and students, all of whom spoke on the condition on anonymity, said the programme had been part of preparations for the school’s Independence Day events.

A 15-year-old student involved in organising the lecture said students were not given a specific reason for the cancellation. “When we came to school in the morning, everything was normal. Suddenly, a few of us who were involved in the programme were called to the auditorium and told by our teachers that the chief guest would not come. They didn’t inform us of the reason,” the student said.

Yamini Aiyer, a parent, said she was pleased that the school had invited Hasan and believed students should be exposed to diverse viewpoints. “I was delighted that the school had invited Hasan. I believe it is important to expose children to a range of ideas. I have admired Hasan’s work. It is unfortunate that her freedom of speech was curbed on the eve of Independence Day,” she said.