Months after the first female Indian President-elect of Oxford University Student’s Union, Rashmi Samant, was vilified and forced to resign from her post, an internal investigation by the university has vindicated her. The lawyer of Samant, Adithya Srinivasan, took to Twitter to inform that an internal investigation by Oxford University has confirmed that Samant was indeed a victim of bullying and vilification.
In a series of tweets on Friday (July 16), advocate Adithya Srinivasan informed that an investigation has been conducted by the Oxford University on accusations of harassment levelled by Rashmi Samant. “I am delighted that a decision has been reached, and I am pleased with the outcome of the investigation,” he emphasised.
Oxford has finally concluded its investigation into the harassment complaint filed by Ms Rashmi Samant (@RashmiDVS ). I am delighted that a decision has been reached, and I am pleased with the outcome of the investigation. …
— Adhitya Srinivasan (@ads_0013) July 16, 2021
He further added, “The past few months have no doubt been emotionally wrecking for Rashmi Samant and I have nothing but admiration for her grit and perseverance throughout the process. For those asking for more details, I’m afraid we’re precluded from saying anything more at this stage. Personally, I think this is unfortunate given that Rashmi was subjected to a very public humiliation.”
For those asking for more details, I’m afraid we’re precluded from saying anything more at this stage. Personally, I think this is unfortunate given that @RashmiDVS was subjected to a very public humiliation.
— Adhitya Srinivasan (@ads_0013) July 16, 2021
Victim of online harassment remembers her grandfather
Rashmi Samant expressed her gratitude by paying homage to her grandfather, who passed on July 16 four years ago. She wrote, “16th July 2021 marks four years since my grandfather breathed his last in my arms. He was a special man, and we were best of buddies. He fought the good fight and never gave up, come hell or high water.”
16th July 2021 marks four years since my grandfather breathed his last in my arms. He was a special man, and we were best of buddies. He fought the good fight and never gave up, come hell or high water.
— Rashmi Samant 🌺 (@RashmiDVS) July 17, 2021
The Oxford University student added, “He was born into extreme poverty post-independence and had to beat some extreme odds to survive and build a decent life. The last few months have been traumatic for me. But putting my problems in perspective to his sufferings as a young boy helped me march onwards. I find it rather poetic that I received the much-awaited decision on my grandfather’s barsi (death anniversary). If my grandfather could make it through so much difficulty, I could definitely take on a few bullies who took literal pleasure in harassing, hounding & humiliating me, my family, my faith.”
I find it rather poetic that I received the much-awaited decision on my grandfather’s barsi. If my grandfather could make it through so much difficulty, I could definitely take on a few bullies who took literal pleasure in harassing, hounding & humiliating me, my family, my faith
— Rashmi Samant 🌺 (@RashmiDVS) July 17, 2021
The Oxford Hinduphobia row
Rashmi Samant was hounded by leftists and anti-Hindu propagandists after becoming the first female Indian president-elect of Oxford University Student’s Union on February 11. She was forced to resign within days after being abused, bullied, and targeted for being a Hindu and over her views against British colonisation.
In a coordinated attack, her old social media posts were dredged up, accusing her of being racist, anti-semitic, Islamophobic, transphobic. Besides this, Rashmi was also targeted for being a Hindu. One of the faculty members in Oxford – Dr Abhijit Sarkar had even dragged Rashmi’s parents into the controversy, attacking them for having a Lord Shri Ram display picture on their social media accounts while claiming that Rashmi’s student council elections were funded by Prime Minister Modi.
He had even accused Rashmi of being Islamophobic by alleging that she came from coastal Karnataka, which the faculty member termed as “a bastion of Islamophobic far-right forces”. Following the controversy, netizens from across the world had demanded the dismissal of Hinduphobic faculty AbhijitSarkar and had trended hashtag #DismissAbhijitSarkar on Twitter. The Union External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar also raised the matter in the Upper House of Parliament.
