Protest against MoU for joint research with Israel

Group of concerned citizens terms it "unholy alliance"

August 10, 2012 08:57 pm | Updated December 04, 2021 11:08 pm IST - NEW DELHI

A group of concerned citizens have come down heavily on the memorandum of understanding that was resigned signed by India for a joint research programme with Israel.

In a joint appeal to academics, students and civil society to join in condemning the ‘unholy’ alliance being forged by University Grant Commission with Israel Science Foundation through the MoU, the group said pursue of excellence in any field of work could have meaning only if it was imbued with conscience.

“None of the foundational principles on which academic and cultural contacts are based can be fulfilled when Palestinian students and teachers are not allowed to reach their universities because of Israeli mandated permit laws and check points: and supplies such as food, textbooks, and medicines are prohibited from entering Palestinian territories’’, it said.

Referring to a statement made by Israel Ambassdaor after the signing ceremony that linking of researchers came naturally, the group coming under the platform of the `International Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel’, asked how it could be natural for India to lend a stamp of approval to Israeli policy, which it noted was that of colonialism, apartheid and occupation.

They also questioned the Minister for Human Resource Development, Kapil Sibal, for initiating the programme and asked how academics in India could collaborate with those funded by a State, which they said was responsible for the illegitimate occupation of another people.

“Is it natural for Indians to admit Israel into the global academic and cultural arena when it does not respect international law and recognise the Palestinian people’s right to freedom, equality and justice?’’, they asked.

The signatories included academics, Achin Vinaik, C.P. Chandrasekhar, Jayati Ghosh, Mushirul Hassan, Nandini Sundar, Upendra Baxi, Zoya Hassan, Mohan Rao and Aditya Nigam, Ayesha Kidwai, film makers Anand Patwardhan, Saed Mirza, Saba Dewan, and Gargi Sen, writers, Arundhati Roy, K. Satchidandan, Githa Hariharan, and Praful Bidwai, activists Harsh Mander, Prabir Purkayastha, and lawyer, Prashant Bushan.

0 / 0
Sign in to unlock member-only benefits!
  • Access 10 free stories every month
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.