Ashoka University row | Another faculty member resigns, professors threatens exodus if Sabyasachi Das not reinstated

Ashoka University faculty demand reinstatement of professor Sabyasachi Das, threaten exodus if not done. Professor Pulapre Balakrishnan resigns in support. Governing Body urged to address issue by Aug. 23

Days after Sabyasachi Das, an assistant professor at Ashoka University, resigned following a controversy over his research paper, Pulapre Balakrishnan, another professor in the economics department, has put in his papers.

Mr. Das' colleagues have written to the Governing Body threatening a faculty exodus if he is not offered reinstatement. The English and Creative Writing departments have also extended their support to the demand.

The university had earlier distanced itself from the paper, "Democratic Backsliding in the World's Largest Democracy", in which Mr. Das argued that the BJP won a disproportionate share of closely contested parliamentary seats in 2019 Lok Sabha polls, especially in States where it was the ruling party at the time. The research was published on the Social Science Research Network on July 25.

There was no reaction available from the university on the faculty members' demand and Balakrishnan's resignation.

Swaraj India founder and political activist Yogendra Yadav lauded the step taken by the faculty members, saying, "Good to see some academics standing up in this climate of fear. Salute Prof Pulapre Balakrishnan".

The faculty members of the Economic Department have written an open letter, warning that the Governing Body's "interference" in the process to "investigate the merits" of his study was likely to "precipitate an exodus of faculty".

The departments of English and Creative Writing, in a joint statement, too demanded that Mr. Das be reinstated. They also stated that they would not be able to carry out their teaching obligations "unless questions regarding basic academic freedoms are resolved before the Monsoon 2023 semester".