Amid rising Islamophobia in the country, a young Muslim student from Manipal Institute of Technology, Karnataka called out his professor for allegedly calling him a ‘terrorist’ over his religious identity.
In a video that has now surfaced on social media, recorded by a student present during the altercation, the Muslim student can be seen questioning his professor over his alleged Islamophobic remark.
The incident has evoked angry reactions from several Twitter users who have come out in support of the student and praised his courage.
The Muslim student, whose name has not been mentioned, was taken aback on allegedly being called a terrorist by the professor in class. “These jokes are not acceptable. No! You can’t joke about my religion..that too in such a terrible manner,” the student stresses.
Sensing what he had done, the professor tried to calm the situation by calling the agitated student “you are just like my kid”, to which the student replied, “If my father did this to me, I would disown him.”
The professor, still trying to damage control the situation said, “It is a funny thing.” This upset the student even further who replied, “No sir, It is not a funny thing. 26/11 was not funny. Islamic terrorism is not funny. Being a Muslim in this country and facing all this every day is not funny.”
When the teacher again tried to address him as his son, the student asks him if he would call his own son a ‘terrorist’
“Will you call your own son by this..’a terrorist’? How can you call me like that? In front of so many people, in a class. You are a professor.”
Finally, the professor can be heard apologising. But the student who is visibly hurt says, “Sorry doesn’t change how you think or how you portray yourself here.”
Interestingly, while this whole conversation was going on, no classmate stood for the student.
You can watch the video here.
Manipal University has not given any official statement regarding the incident. When Siasat.com, tried to contact the officials, their phones were unreachable. The story will be updated once we get in touch with the officials.
Twitter reacts
Support has been pouring for the student who stood up for himself against the professor.
