Harvard College’s South Asia Institute has been focused by intense scholar criticism for having organised a “Pakistan Convention” inside days of the latest lethal terror strike at Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. The occasion was denounced for purportedly legitimised accounts tied to state-sponsored terrorism in addition to being insensitive to the victims of what college students termed a “focused, religion-based bloodbath.”
In response to ANI, Harvard scholar Surabi Tomar spoke out with concern and said, “The heinous assault in Pahalgam was a religion-based focused assault. When Harvard invitations officers, significantly those that ideologically justify such acts, it dangers giving legitimacy to state-sponsored terror narratives on our campus.”
#WATCH | Cambridge, US: On Harvard’s South Asia Institute internet hosting a ‘Pakistan Convention’, Surabi Tomar, Harvard College Scholar, says, “We should not keep silent after a faith-based killing, that’s our perception. We consulted our friends. There was a variety of assist for us given by… pic.twitter.com/dhaEIfgn8K
— ANI (@ANI) April 30, 2025
Tomar defined that though the convention was pre-planned, the timing — 5 days after the Pahalgam assault — made it much more contentious. “Even when coincidental, we don’t consider it’s proper for a college like Harvard to supply a platform to such voices,” she added.
Tomar additionally disclosed that the scholars have written to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, requesting him to disclaim visas to ideologically extremist supporting officers. “We acted out of a shared ethical obligation. This was not random violence. It was spiritual persecution. We urged Harvard to face in opposition to Hinduphobia,” she added.
One other scholar, Rashmini Koparkar, was in the identical vein, lambasting the insensitivity of the occasion. “We anticipated the company to at the very least acknowledge the Pahalgam assault. A condemnation would have been a considerate gesture. Most of the audio system have been officers from a rustic that has lengthy harboured cross-border terrorism,” she said.
Amid the row, Harvard’s South Asia Institute launched an announcement in assist of internet hosting the convention. It expressed condolences to Pahalgam assault victims whereas reiterating that the occasion was independently organised by college students and their college advisor.
“The Institute helps educational analysis and collaborates on a number of occasions yearly. ‘The Pakistan Convention,’ held on April 27, 2025, was totally student-driven. We didn’t seek the advice of any benefactor within the course of,” the discharge said. “We share the grief and anguish with our pals and colleagues in India affected by the April 22 assault, and we provide our heartfelt condolences.”
The scandal has fueled a broader controversy concerning educational duty, freedom, and limits of political sensitivity on college campuses the world over.