In a shocking turn of events, the Hinduphobic Student Union of the London School of Economics (LSE) has disqualified the candidature of Karan Kataria who was contesting for the post of General Secretary. Reason: His beliefs. In a statement, Karan, who authored ‘Recapture the Vision called Bharat’, brought out by Indus Scrolls Press, said: “Despite receiving immense support from students of all nationalities, I was disqualified from the General Secretary election of the LSE Student Union. The allegations against me ranged from being homophobic, Islamophobic, queerophobic, and Hindu Nationalist. Following it, multiple complaints were lodged against me. Many false accusations were made to discredit my image and character when, to the contrary, I have always advocated for positive change and social harmony.”
Karan Kataria, a postgraduate student at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), has filed a complaint against the LSE Student Union (LSESU) for unjustly disqualifying him from the post of General Secretary in the union’s election. Kataria, who comes from a middle-class farmer’s family from the state of Haryana, India, alleges that he was discriminated against based on his Indian and Hindu identity.
Kataria was elected as the Academic Representative of his cohort at the Law School and as a Delegate to the National Union for Students. He received immense support from students of all nationalities to run for the post of General Secretary in the LSESU. However, he was disqualified from the election due to allegations of being homophobic, Islamophobic, queerphobic, and Hindu nationalist.
Kataria says that these allegations were false and that they were made solely to discredit his image and character. He alleges that LSESU cancelled his candidature undemocratically without providing any proof or evidence of the allegations against him. The LSESU disqualified him without hearing his side of the story or revealing the votes he received.
Furthermore, Kataria alleges that on the last polling day, Indian students were bullied and targeted for their national and Hindu religious identities. The students raised this issue, but the LSESU brushed it aside by not acting against the bullies. Kataria believes the LSESU’s actions show an authoritarian, undemocratic, xenophobic, and biased mindset that cannot digest social harmony, diversity, and an engaging Indian-Hindu student.
Karan Kataria urges the LSE leadership to support him and ensure justice prevails in the interest of all students. He believes in upholding democratic values and respecting the personal opinions and ideologies of others. The LSE leadership is yet to respond to Kataria’s complaint.
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