‘Take stance against Hinduphobia': Why Harvard University is under fire days after Pahalgam terror attack

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30-04-2025

Indian students at Harvard University in the United States objected to the visit of Pakistani delegates, including the country's Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, for the Pakistan Conference 2025. This came just days after the Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 people in Jammu and Kashmir. The students urged Harvard to issue a public statement condemning the attack and reconsider allowing Pakistani officials to participate in the conference read more
Indian students at Harvard University raised objections to the visit of Pakistani delegates to the campus. Reuters/File Photo
The aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack has now reached other parts of the world.
A recent event focused on Pakistan at Harvard University's South Asia Institute has drawn strong criticism from Indian students. The conference took place shortly after the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam.
Top Pakistani leaders like Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and Pakistan's Ambassador to the US, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, were part of it.
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The Pahalgam attack is one of the deadliest attacks in Jammu and Kashmir since the 2019 Pulwama strike. After the incident, India took strict steps against Pakistan, accusing it of supporting cross-border terrorism.
In this explainer, we look at why the Harvard event has caused anger and what Indian students are saying about it.
The backlash against Harvard over Pakistan conference
Indian students at Harvard University in the United States raised objections to the visit of Pakistani delegates to the campus. They have accused the Pakistani government of backing religiously motivated attacks against Hindus in India.
Two Indian students, Surabhi Tomar and Abhishek Chaudhari, sent a letter to Harvard's management. They expressed grief over the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, saying the attackers had targeted Hindu tourists after confirming their religion.
Before the event took place, the students also wrote to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, asking him to cancel the visas of the Pakistani officials attending the Pakistan Conference 2025 at Harvard.
'These acts of violence were not indiscriminate - they were calculated attacks based solely on religious identity,' the letter read.
Indian students of @Harvard have demanded the Admin to issue a statement condemning the #PahalgamTerroristAttack where Hindu tourists were massacred by #Pakistan
& affirming support for victims of religion-based violence.@Keir_Starmer pic.twitter.com/xcaDfMNsTo — Sukhwinder Singh Parmar (@sukhparmar03) April 30, 2025
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They also pointed out that Pakistan had made threatening statements to India after the country took steps against Islamabad following the attack.
According to the letter, while Pakistan's Foreign Ministry offered brief condolences, other officials made indirect threats to India and reaffirmed their support for Kashmiri insurgents, which they say is linked to groups like LeT.
The students said they were especially concerned that Pakistani delegates, including Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, were scheduled to speak at the event. They stated that this came shortly after Pakistan's Senate passed a resolution supporting what it calls Kashmir's 'freedom struggle,' which, they argued, is often used to excuse violence against Indian citizens.
'Welcoming representatives of a government that not only denies accountability for, but also ideologically supports such religion-based terrorism, risks Harvard being complicit in legitimising those who enable or justify these crimes,' the letter read.
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ALSO READ | How India's decision to cancel medical visas after Pahalgam is hurting Pakistanis
The students asked Harvard to make a public statement against the attack, reconsider letting Pakistani officials take part in the conference, and offer support to students affected by the violence, CNN-News18 reported.
'We ask for the clarity, courage, and compassion for Hindu and Indian students grieving the targeted killing of members of their faith. We request you to take a stance against Hinduphobia," it read.
The letter made three specific requests to Harvard:
1. Issue a public statement condemning the Pahalgam terror attacks and supporting victims of religion-based violence.
2. Review the participation of Pakistani officials in light of their government's support for groups like LeT.
3. Provide emotional and institutional support to affected students through the Office for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging.
In a follow-up letter addressed to Harvard's leadership, the Indian students discussed the university's long-standing values.
It said, 'Harvard has always stood for equity, global justice, and human dignity. In recent years, the university has taken meaningful stances in support of communities affected by racism, antisemitism, Islamophobia, and other forms of hatred.'
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How did the University respond?
The conference was reportedly put together by Pakistani students at Harvard. As per reports, the university's role was only to help with arrangements and coordination.
Amid the controversy, fresh debate began after it emerged that Hitesh Hathi, Executive Director of Harvard's South Asia Institute, had taken part in a panel with Pakistani-American historian Ayesha Jalal.
It is a shame that after the #Pahalgam attack, the 'Pakistan conference at Harvard' is being held with the Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute (@MittalInstitute) being a partner.
This is quite unfortunate and must be stood against strongly!
Jai Hind pic.twitter.com/TrVwa7D0e0 — Mrittunjoy Guha Majumdar (@Zeit_MjGM) April 27, 2025
The discussion, titled 'The Enlightened Muslim: Examining the intersection of religion, modernity, and state formation in Pakistan,' was one of several listings later taken down from the institute's website. Harvard has not issued a statement about the removal of these details.
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While the event was hosted by Pakistani students at Harvard, some attendees told The Times of India that the conference also seemed intended to boost Pakistan's presence in US academic circles, which has reportedly declined in recent years.
Figures from Open Doors, which tracks the number of international students in the US, show that 10,988 students from Pakistan are currently studying in American institutions.
Meanwhile, India leads with 331,602 students, followed by China with 277,398. Notably, Pakistan has fewer students in the US than Bangladesh and Nepal, which have 17,099 and 16,742 students enrolled, respectively, the report said.
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What happened in Pahalgam?
In one of the deadliest attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, terrorists linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba opened fire on a group of tourists in Pahalgam on Tuesday, April 22.
At least 26 people, including foreign nationals, were killed, and many others were injured. The Resistance Front (TRF), believed to be an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility for the attack.
Security personnel stand guard after a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. File image/PTI
Following the incident, India downgraded diplomatic relations with Pakistan. The Indian government announced a series of tough measures, including suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, reducing the strength of Pakistan's mission in New Delhi, and expelling its military officials. The Integrated Check Post at Attari was also shut down.
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In response, Pakistan said it would withdraw from the 1972 Simla Agreement and close the Wagah border crossing with India.
Speaking in Bihar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised strong action against those responsible. He said India would 'pursue the terrorists to the end of the earth.'
Meanwhile, Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif warned that any move to change the flow of water or block Pakistan's rights under the Indus Waters Treaty would be treated as 'an Act of War.'
With inputs from agencies