How does your grandfather's death prevent you from attending class? IIT KGP professor's lecture to SC/ST students causes controversy

In a video of an online lecture during an IIT Preparatory Course for SC/ST and PD Candidates that has been surfacing online, a faculty member of IIT Kharagpur is heard making derogatory and insensitive remarks about her students. The faculty member, identified by the students of the institute, as being from the Department of Humanities and Social Science is heard calling students of her class 'bl***y b****rds' multiple times. In another case, she tells her students that a close family member's death is no excuse for them to miss their classes.

After using abusive language, she also threatened students with failure in the course and then challenges them to raise a complaint to the Ministry of Women Child Development and the Ministry of Minority Affairs.

She is heard saying in the video, "I'm getting emails that say 'my grandfather died and I won't be attending classes'. This shows the non-application of the human mind. If somebody's grandfather dies, how does it prevent them from attending class?" she asked. She added, "I'm a Hindu, I know there are customs. I also know there are COVID restrictions to religious customs. It is not important if he has died of COVID or something else. The government has set down completely clear rules."

Since the videos of her lecture have gone viral, it has drawn a lot of flak online. Ambedkar Periyar Phule Study Circle, IIT Bombay, a student group has asked the IIT KGP to immediately terminate her and book her under the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, and to set up a permanent SC, ST, and OBC Cell at IIT Kharagpur and all other IITs. "She is in complete cognizance of her actions and proclaims immunity from any disciplinary actions and consequences. She knows that the savarna dominated IIT administration will protect her from any backlash," reads a Facebook post by the group.