Sardar Patel Vidyalaya in Central Delhi Cancels Zoya Hasan Lecture
A lecture by political scientist and former Jawaharlal Nehru University professor Zoya Hasan was cancelled at the last minute at Sardar Patel Vidyalaya in central Delhi on Friday, with the school administration citing security concerns.
Hasan stated that a security official from the school contacted her to inform her that the lecture was called off due to a perceived threat to her safety. Hasan had received the invitation on July 28 and was scheduled to deliver a talk titled 'Why Pluralism Matters' as part of the school's preparations for Independence Day events.
According to Hasan, a teacher was supposed to pick her up at 8:30 am on Friday. However, no vehicle arrived, and the school security official subsequently conveyed the cancellation.
Teachers at Sardar Patel Vidyalaya, speaking on condition of anonymity, alleged that the decision followed the presence of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) members outside the school premises. A teacher involved in the programme mentioned that staff and students were notified roughly an hour before the event that the chief guest would not attend. The teacher added that the school management claimed the police had refused to provide security for the guest speaker, raising concerns about student safety if tensions escalated.
The Delhi Police denied that any protest or gathering occurred outside the school campus. A senior police officer confirmed that the police department received no call, complaint, or request for assistance from the school management, adding that a police team would have been dispatched immediately had they been alerted.
VHP spokesperson Vinod Bansal also denied that the organisation staged a protest outside the school, while simultaneously supporting the cancellation. Bansal remarked that individuals who oppose their viewpoints should not be provided public platforms at the institution.
School principal Anuradha Joshi did not respond to queries regarding the incident. Students who were part of the organising team noted that they were gathered in the auditorium on Friday morning and told the guest would not come, without being given a specific reason for the abrupt change.
