Students and alumni of Delhi University's Lady Shri Ram (LSR) College for Women have condemned a recent guest lecture by retired diplomat Deepak Vohra, labelling his remarks as "misogynistic, derogatory, Islamophobic, queerphobic, and offensive." The backlash, which erupted following the September 11 session, has prompted demands for a public apology and raised questions about the vetting of external speakers at the prestigious all-women's institution, known for its progressive ethos since its founding in 1956.

The event, organised by the B.A. Programme Department and titled "Unstoppable India 2047", was intended as a forward-looking discussion on India's policy and diplomatic future. However, Vohra's informal style quickly drew ire for veering into divisive territory, including a controversial joke where he quipped that if his name were "Muhammad Deepak", he could have four wives, potentially including the college principal.

This came in response to Acting Principal Kanika K's light-hearted suggestion that attendees might want to be reborn as women to study at LSR, to which Vohra allegedly replied he preferred rebirth as a man—comments the students' union cited as revealing "deeply ingrained misogyny". Videos and social media posts circulating online captured similar instances of humour targeting Muslims, women, and queer communities, with some audience members initially applauding before discomfort spread.

In an official statement, the LSR Students' Union emphasised that such rhetoric has "no place in an academic institution" and violates the college's core values of inclusivity and intellectual rigour. The union highlighted a presentation slide titled "Bharat's Four Azaadis", which equated 1947's independence with later events: 2022's "freedom of our minds" via a Netaji statue unveiling, 2023's "freedom of our confidence" from Chandrayaan-3, and 2024's "freedom of our souls" linked to the Ram temple inauguration—phrasing critics decried as saffron-tinged and reductive of India's secular history. The department distanced itself, clarifying that Vohra's views were personal and not reflective of the institutional stance.

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The controversy has mobilised over 500 alumni, who issued a joint statement decrying the invitation of a speaker under investigation for alleged financial irregularities in diplomatic missions abroad, including Sudan. They argued that LSR, a space for women to "experiment with ideas... outside the constant censorious gaze of men," was undermined by unchallenged patriarchal and communal narratives.

Vohra, a former ambassador to Armenia, Poland, and Sudan, issued an "unconditional apology" on September 16 via social media, expressing regret for any offence caused during his "impromptu" remarks, but did not respond to direct queries on the allegations. As the row intensifies on platforms like Reddit and X, it underscores broader concerns over hate speech and ideological incursions on Indian campuses amid a national discourse on gender equity and pluralism.

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