Mahmood Farooqui, an artist known for his expertise in Dastangoi—a traditional form of Urdu storytelling—was scheduled to perform his piece “Dastan-e-Karn — AZ Mahabharat” at IIT-Bombay on Saturday evening. However, just hours before the event, it was canceled following opposition from a section of the campus community. Farooqui had been invited to the campus as part of Izhar 2024, a three-day cultural festival organized by Vaani, the Indian Languages Club at IIT-Bombay, held from October 25-27.
The opposition to Farooqui’s performance came from an informal campus group known as ‘IIT B for Bharat,’ which includes students, faculty, and alumni from the institute. The group publicly voiced concerns about Farooqui’s presence on campus, citing his past legal history. Farooqui was convicted of rape in 2016 by a lower court; however, he was acquitted by the Delhi High Court in 2017, and the Supreme Court later upheld this acquittal.
A volunteer group requested that the event featuring Mahmood Farooqui be canceled due to the rape accusations against him. Notably, he was also invited to be the ‘chief guest’ at the school and junior college on the IIT campus. Farooqui is known for signing a mercy petition for Ajmal Kasab, the terrorist responsible for the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai.
After significant backlash on social media regarding his invitation, the IIT-Bombay administration decided to cancel the event.
The group’s statement, posted on social media, questioned IIT-Bombay’s decision to associate with Farooqui, arguing that inviting him could send the wrong message. They urged the administration to reconsider the event in light of these concerns. Following this, the administration decided to cancel Farooqui’s performance, prompting discussions within the campus community about free expression, the artist’s legal exoneration, and the administration's responsibility to consider student perspectives.
While some supported the decision, others expressed disappointment, suggesting that the cancellation might limit cultural dialogue and expression within the academic space.
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