Harvard gives Subramanium Swamy the boot
08 Dec 2011
Harvard University has cancelled the summer economic courses taught by Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy, in effect ending his association with the US educational institution.
He was shown the door over his controversial article in a Mumbai newspaper in July, advocating destruction of hundreds of Indian mosques, disenfranchisement of non-Hindus in India who refused to acknowledge Hindu ancestry, and a ban on conversion from Hinduism to other religions.
Comparative Religion Professor Diana L Eck brought the amendment to exclude Dr Swamy's courses.
After a heated debate, a meeting of the faculty of arts and sciences on Tuesday voted to remove the two Summer School courses taught by Swamy - Economics S-110 and Economics S-1316 – from the catalogue, according to The Harvard Crimson, the campus newspaper.
"Swamy's op-ed piece (in the Daily News & Analysis newspaper) clearly crosses the line by demonising an entire religious community and calling for violence against their sacred places," Eck was quoted as saying.
"Harvard has a moral responsibility not to affiliate itself with anyone who expresses hatred towards a minority group, she said. "There is a distinction between unpopular and unwelcome political views."