More Than 300 Activists, Students Express Solidarity With Deepak Malghan Over ‘Harassment’ by IIM-B

New Delhi: More than 300 activists, students and other concerned citizens have condemned the alleged “vindictive harassment and persecution” of Dr Deepak Malghan by the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIM-B).

Malghan, an award-winning scholar, was ‘demoted’ by IIM-B for his social media posts that were deemed critical and in violation of the premier institute’s service policy. While the Karnataka high court has ordered a stay on the move, activists have urged IIM-B to withdraw all past sanctions against Malghan.

Malghan is an internationally recognised scholar and the winner of multiple prestigious academic awards. In 2015, he was awarded the Dr. V.K.R.V. Rao Award in Social Sciences, while in 2023, he was recognised by the T.N. Khoshoo Memorial Award. “Beyond ground-breaking scholarship transcending traditional disciplinary boundaries, Dr. Malghan is one of India’s most vocal and recognised public voices for institutional social diversity and inclusion,” the letter said.

“We strongly condemn the misuse of IIM (B) Service Rules to stifle academic freedom on campus. It is a great shame that a premier institute like IIM (B) is violating an internationally accepted set of rights to Academic Freedom,” the letter read, adding that recent “demotion” by IIMB is only the culmination of a series of persecutions that he has been subject to since 2018.

The letter lists several incidents of censure and backlash that Malghan has faced over the last six years. Most recently he, was demoted from associate professor to assistant professor in March 2024.

In June 2018, Malghan had urged the IIM-B student body to not invite Hindustan Unilever Limited for campus placements because of its failure to remedy the damage caused by mercury poisoning from its thermometer factory in Kodaikanal. The institute had subsequently issued censure orders against him with then IIM-B director G. Raghuram asking him to retract the statement made by him in a personal capacity.

Malghan in 2018 also co-authored a paper documenting acute social diversity deficit at IIMs. “Their paper showed that various IIMs [were] wilfully dodging constitutional and statutory mandates, directly precipitating social diversity deficits. They followed up their paper by publicly supporting a vigorous campaign led by enlightened alumni of these institutions. Part of the harassment Dr. Malghan has faced, is driven by a backlash from entrenched interests that have resisted his push for caste justice within IIMs and outside,” the letter said.

“In addition to the censure orders of 2018 and 2019, in 2022, another inquiry was set up against Dr Malghan based on multiple complaints regarding two tweets posted by him on his personal twitter account,” the letter said.

The inquiry committee set up to investigate Malghan’s conduct in 2022 did not find any violation of IIM-B’s service rules. It did not recommend any disciplinary action against him other than exercising discretion while posting on social media. However, the disciplinary committee disregarded the findings of its own inquiry committee and found Malghan in violation of Service Rules 8.3.1, 8.10 and 8.12 – while stating that it has not relied on past censures to arrive at its findings – and recommended withholding Malghan’s promotion for two years. This directive was challenged by Malghan in the Karnataka high court.

In 2023, another inquiry was set up against Malghan, initially based on a complaint by a board member regarding a single tweet posted by the professor. This was later expanded to a 100 tweets of which eight were identified as potentially violative of IIM-B Service Rules (as amended in 2023).

“As academics and other concerned people, we strongly condemn this silencing of the demands raised by Dr Malghan which are entirely devoted to upholding India’s constitutional values. We condemn the use of service rules to stifle academic freedom. We call upon IIM Bangalore to desist from its harassment of Dr Malghan and recognise his valuable contributions towards academic integrity,” the letter said.

The full letter and a list of the first few signatories is produced below.

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Statement of Solidarity with Dr Deepak Malghan

Demand that IIM-Bangalore should end the harassment of Dr Malghan

Condemnation of the misuse of Service rules by Academic Institutions to erode Academic Freedom

We, the undersigned, condemn the long-running vindictive harassment and persecution of Dr. Deepak Malghan by the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB). Most recently, in a politically motivated move, IIMB “demoted” Dr. Malghan. While the Karnataka High Court has ordered a stay on this outrageous and unprecedented action, we call upon IIM Bangalore to immediately withdraw all sanctions against Dr. Deepak Malghan.

We strongly condemn the misuse of IIM (B) Service Rules to stifle academic freedom on campus. It is a great shame that a premier institute like IIM (B) is violating an internationally accepted set of rights to Academic Freedom.

Dr. Deepak Malghan is an internationally recognized scholar and the winner of multiple prestigious academic awards. In 2015, he was awarded the Dr. V.K.R.V. Rao Award in Social Sciences, while in 2023, he was recognised by the T N Khoshoo Memorial Award. He is an affiliated researcher at Stockholm Environment Institute, and has served as an editor at Ecological Economics, the field’s flagship journal (2018–23).

Beyond ground-breaking scholarship transcending traditional disciplinary boundaries, Dr. Malghan is one of India’s most vocal and recognized public voices for institutional social diversity and inclusion. Dr. Malghan has also been a leading public voice from within, resisting the sectarian and communal onslaught on one of India’s finest public institutions.

The recent “demotion” by IIMB is only the culmination of a series of persecutions that he has been subject to since 2018, which are detailed below. They are clearly related to the issue of academic freedom.

Background

Some of the Campaigns by Dr. Deepak Malghan, followed by censure orders from IIM(B).

1. Campaign for Corporate Accountability

In June 2018, he sent an email to all students dissuading them from inviting Hindustan Unilever Limited for placements because of its failure to remedy the damage caused by mercury poisoning from its thermometer factory in Kodaikanal. 

Censure orders against him were issued on 17th October 2018. See links here and here.

2. Campaign for Diversity at Higher Educational Institutions

In 2018, along with his long-time co-author, Dr. Siddharth Joshi, Dr Malghan authored an influential paper documenting acute social diversity deficit at IIMs. Their paper showed that various IIMs’ wilfully dodging constitutional and statutory mandates directly precipitated social diversity deficits. They followed up their paper by publicly supporting a vigorous campaign led by enlightened alumni of these institutions. Part of the harassment Dr. Malghan has faced is driven by a backlash from entrenched interests that have resisted his push for caste justice within IIMs and outside. Dr. Malghan has also written and campaigned on other issues affecting diversity in higher education:

https://www.roundtableindia.co.in/an-open-letter-to-the-iim-leadership/; 

https://scroll.in/article/906157/iims-have-used-autonomy-for-self-aggrandisement-says-professor-pushing-for-faculty-diversity; 

https://thewire.in/education/princeton-woodrow-wilson-caste-discrimination;

Letter to IIMB Director to ensure safe space for students from historically marginalized communities: https://www.edexlive.com/news/2024/Jan/18/need-for-safe-space-for-bahujan-students-staff-iim-bangalore-professor-issues-open-letter-to-dir-39853.html

Against the exclusion of social sciences from National Overseas Scholarship, which disadvantages SC, ST and other marginalised students: https://thewire.in/government/centres-decision-to-axe-humanities-social-sciences-from-national-overseas-scholarship-is-dangerous

Censure Order issued on 20th January 2019, over an interview given to Scroll.in where he criticised IIMs over lack of diversity in the faculty body and other governance-related issues. The censure order imposed a ban on his research funding and consultancy activities.

3. Campaign to Defund Hate

During his time at IIMB, Dr. Malghan has also been at the forefront of resisting toxic communal ideologies, and calling upon corporates not to fund hate

Disciplinary Action against Dr Malghan

In addition to the censure orders of 2018 and 2019, in 2022, another inquiry was set up against Dr Malghan based on multiple complaints regarding two tweets posted by him on his personal twitter account. The Standing Disciplinary Committee of IIM (B) while referring these complaints to an inquiry committee widened the scope to include articles published by Prof Deepak Malghan on the question of the lack of diversity in higher educational institutions.

The enquiry was instituted to probe potential violations under IIMB Service Rules 8.3.1, 8.10 and 8.12, which read as follows:-

“8.3.1 Every employee shall at all times:       

•  Maintain absolute administrative and academic integrity;             
•  Be devoted to duty;
•  Maintain decorum and do nothing which is unbecoming of an employee of the Institute;                     
•  Be courteous in his/her dealings with other members of the staff, students, and members of the public; and          
•  Shall conduct himself/herself in a manner which will uphold the reputation of the Institution.                       

• 8.10 Interaction on Social Media – When engaging in any social media activity during one’s tenure at IIMB, employees are expected to treat others with respect, professionalism, courtesy and consideration in all forms of communication. Refrain from any activity which may tarnish the goodwill and reputation of IIMB. Employees holding administrative positions cannot make statements in social media that undermine that position and/or IIMB’s stance on any particular issue. Any unbecoming conduct, act of uploading derogatory remarks, image ridiculing a person in eyes of other, activity against the Institute, any other person or organization will attract severe disciplinary action.

Social Media channels are public spaces and employees should not publish confidential information in the public domain. Where personal opinions are publicly expressed online, it must be clearly stated that these are employee’s own personal views and that they do not reflect those of IIMB.

• 8.12 Criticism of the Institute: No employee, shall in any Radio/TV broadcast, Social Media, Electronic Media, Print media or in any document published anonymously, pseudonymously or in his/her own name or in the name of any other person, on any communication to the press, in any public utterance, make any statement of fact or opinion:   
  •  Which has the effect of an adverse criticism of any current or recent policy or action of the Institute; or   
  •  Which is capable of embarrassing the relations between the Institute and the Central Government, any State Government, any other Institute, Organisation, members of the public.

Provided that nothing in this paragraph shall apply to any statements made or views expressed by an employee in his/her official capacity or in the due performance of the duties assigned to him/her.”

The Inquiry Committee did not find any violation of any of the above service rules and except for asking Prof Malghan to exercise discretion in social media posts, did not recommend any disciplinary action.

In a surprise turn of events, the Disciplinary Committee decided to disregard the findings of its own Inquiry Committee and found Prof Deepak Malghan in violation of Service Rules 8.3.1, 8.10 and 8.12 (while stating that it has not relied on past censures to arrive at its findings). It recommended withholding promotion for 2 years. The Director accepting these recommendations, reduced the period of withholding of promotion to 1 year. This Order has been challenged by Prof Deepak Malghan before the Karnataka High Court in WP 13233 of 2023.

In 2023, another inquiry was set-up against Prof Deepak Malghan first based on the complaint by a Board Member regarding a single tweet posted by Prof Deepak Malghan. This tweet merely reproduced the response to an RTI query on whether there had been complaints about caste discrimination at IIM (B). The identity of the Board Member was not disclosed. Subsequently, the Director referred another 100 tweets to the Disciplinary Committee. The Disciplinary Committee went ahead and formed an Inquiry Committee. It identified eight tweets as potentially violative of IIMB Service Rules (as amended in 2023). This included the tweet against which an undisclosed member of the Board had complained against along with seven other tweets. The Inquiry Committee in its report stated that academic freedom is not absolute and found Prof Deepak Malghan guilty of IIMB Service Rules 8.3.1 and 8.8 (as amended in 2023 and detailed above).

With these findings, the Inquiry Committee recommended imposition of serious and major penalty including suspension without pay till the pendency of the disciplinary process. The Standing Disciplinary Committee accepted the findings and the recommendations of the Inquiry Committee and recommended demotion to Assistant Professor for five years. Acting on these recommendations, the Director passed an Order in March 2024 demoting Prof Malghan with immediate effect for five years and also prohibiting him from posting anything related to IIMB on social media or public forums. Consequently, basic pay reduction and withholding of annual increments has been implemented. This Order has been challenged by Prof Malghan before the Karnataka High Court, which has granted an injunction [WP 15915 of 2024].

As academics and other concerned people, we strongly condemn this silencing of the demands raised by Dr Malghan which are entirely devoted to upholding India’s constitutional values. We condemn the use of service rules to stifle academic freedom. We call upon IIM Bangalore to desist from its harassment of Dr Malghan and recognise his valuable contributions towards academic integrity.

Signatories: