On November 10, 2024, Gurugram University cancelled a previously approved lecture by Zoya Hasan, a political science professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). 

The lecture, “Palestinian Struggle for Equal Rights: India & Global Responses,” was organized by faculty from Gurugram University’s department of political science and public policy and was planned for November 12. Two days prior to the scheduled lecture, event organizers contacted Professor Hasan and cancelled the event without providing a reason or postponement date. 

University officials later explained that the polarizing nature of the topic risked creating security concerns and dividing the student body. 

Scholars at Risk is concerned about the cancellation of a previously approved on-campus, academic event due to stated security concerns. Where there are legitimate security concerns, the university is obligated to take reasonable available measures to ensure security. In the absence of such concerns, content-based restrictions on otherwise legitimate university events undermine academic freedom and democratic society generally.

Sources:
https://clarionindia.net/gurugram-university-cancels-talk-on-palestinian-struggle-by-prof-zoya-hasan/
https://thewire.in/rights/gurugram-university-cancels-talk-on-palestinian-struggle-by-jnu-professor-zoya-hassan