New Delhi: Satyam Surana, an Indian student in the UK, has strongly criticised the handling of hate campaigns and smear tactics against him during the London School of Economics (LSE) student elections. In an interview with ANI, Surana accused the university of biased treatment. He said tha his evidence was dismissed and allegations ignored.
Despite presenting “irrefutable evidence,” including screenshots of hate messages, course IDs and social media details, the university said the evidence was insufficient. The accusations were further dismissed under the guise of “freedom of expression,” Surana said, adding that the university justified hateful comments about his Hindu and Indian identity as legitimate.
Surana accuses LSE of bias
The Pune-born student gained attention for retrieving the Tricolour during an attack on the Indian High Commission in London in 2023. He alleged that LSE’s slow investigation process favoured the accused, most of whom graduated during the prolonged investigation. He said that his complaints, including hate comments, bullying, and harassment, were disregarded, with the university failing to provide security footage and dismissing the case when the accused students had already left.
Surana said that the rise of “pro-left” ideologies on university campuses has led to the marginalisation of people with vocal Hindu and Indian identities. He pointed out the contradiction in the university’s response to Hinduphobia compared to Islamophobia. He further said that universities like LSE and Oxford have been “hijacked” by left-wing ideologies, spreading anti-India sentiment and fuelling hatred against Hindu identities.
LSE accused of double standards
The student questioned the university’s double standards in addressing issues related to religious identity. He said that attacks on his Hindu identity were excused as free speech, while similar statements against other communities were treated differently. Surana also said that major global universities are increasingly promoting ideologies that target Indian students with vocal national identities and have turned campuses into spaces that exclude those who do not align with left-wing political beliefs.
