- Sunday, March 02, 2025
By: Shubham Ghosh
The London School of Economics (LSE) has said it is investigating the allegations of discrimination faced by an Indian student on its premises after Manohar Lal Khattar, chief minister of the northern Indian state of Haryana from where the student belongs, wrote to the institution seeking step on the matter.
Twenty-two-year-old Karan Kataria, who is a post-graduate law student at the LSE, recently alleged that he was disqualified from contesting the student union elections after a smear campaign targeting his India and Hindu identity. His family met Khattar over the incident.
Khattar’s letter dated April 5 voiced his concern over the allegations and LSE president and vice chancellor-elect (interim) Eric Neumayer responded to him promptly.
My letter to London School of Economics regarding the safety and well-being of Mr. Karan Kataria and their response.@karanatLSE pic.twitter.com/QdtsD2D4PO
— Manohar Lal (@mlkhattar) April 6, 2023
“I have been informed that this disqualification was not substantiated with reasons and was instead due to discrimination on account of race and beliefs. I could sense that his mother was in severe mental distress when his mother and sister came to meet me,” Khattar, who belongs to prime minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, wrote in the letter.
Kataria thanked Khattar on Twitter saying, “I am a proud Bharatiya, and your support means a lot to me and my family.”
Thank you for this intervention, @mlkhattar ji. I am a proud Bharatiya, and your support means a lot to me and my family!@HCI_London https://t.co/TNfJ4Ykr7K
— Karan Kataria (@karanatLSE) April 6, 2023
In his response to Khattar, Neumayer wrote that bullying, discrimination and harassment are completely unacceptable.
“We are aware of the reports that you raise in your letter, and we are investigating them,” he said.
“The SU (student union) has informed us that a candidate was disqualified from the leadership election for breaking election rules, and we understand an external review of the election proceedings will take place in due course,” the letter also read.
The LSE Student Union also issued a statement saying it has a firm zero-tolerance stance towards any form of harassment and bullying.
