IISc Bengaluru slammed for hosting India-Israel business summit amid ongoing conflict

The esteemed Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru is facing criticism for hosting the India-Israel Business Summit. In response, a protest against the institution was held on Monday, the News Minute reported.

According to the report, several activists and academics voiced their objections to the event, which was organised by the Bengaluru Palestine Solidarity (BPS). The protesters expressed their concerns about the involvement of IISc, along with other institutions like IIM Bangalore, IIIT Bangalore, NIAS, and the Government of Karnataka.

Outcry from academics and activists

Over 1,600 people from different universities across India and overseas have written to the IISc, asking it to cancel an India-Israel Business Meet, Deccan Herald reported.

In a letter addressed to Professor Govindan Rangarajan, Director of IISc Bengaluru, the signatories stated that permitting the event would "amount to direct support for Israel's genocide in Palestine and its aggressive actions against its neighbors."

“Israel is currently engaged in a brutal war. In this campaign, Israel has killed more than 41,000 Palestinians, most of whom are women and children. A report in the Lancet suggested that the true casualties might be four times higher, which would amount to about 10% of Gaza's total population. Israel has destroyed every University in Gaza,” the letter added.

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BPS condemns police actions

The India-Israel Business Summit took place on Monday from 10 am to 4.30 pm. It was organised by Think India, the Indian Chamber of International Business, and the Mysore Lancers Heritage Foundation.

“The summit aims to unite business leaders, entrepreneurs, and policymakers from both countries to discuss and explore potential areas of cooperation, foster partnerships, discover synergies, and drive innovation,” Think India said in a social media post.

According to The News Minute, the BPS also condemned the Bengaluru police for allegedly threatening to disrupt the event. They insisted on the removal of the Palestinian flag and attempted to shut down the press conference.

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