Screenshots of old tweets posted by the handle said to be operated by Prof Pandit went viral
A Twitter account, said to belong to Jawaharlal Nehru University's (JNU) new vice-chancellor Prof Santishree Dhulipadi Pandit, was deactivated yesterday after Twitter users dug out controversial tweets that ranged from calling protesting farmers "parasites" and "dalals" and sharing posts by right-wing trolls to target journalists and politicians.
Prof Pandit's appointment as the new JNU V-C was announced yesterday after her predecessor, Prof M Jagadesh Kumar, was named chairperson of the University Grants Commission. In a message to the students and faculty members, she said "the focus would be constructing Indo-centric narratives".
Soon after the appointment was announced, screenshots of old tweets posted by the handle, which is believed to have been operated by Prof Pandit, started doing the rounds on social media.
One of the tweets described actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan as a "Hindu abuser" and "rice bag convert" -- a derogatory term used to target Hindus who allegedly converted to Christianity for a bag of rice.
Another tweet said Mahatma Gandhi and Nathuram Godse took "opposite lessons from Gita". "Godse thought action was important and identified a solution for a united India in the assassination of one person Mahatma Gandhi. Sad," it added.
A tweet targeting the farmers' movement against the three contentious farm laws termed them "parasitic middlemen" led by "Yo Ya" -- apparent reference to Swaraj India chief Yogendra Yadav -- and farmer leader Rakesh Tikait.
Another tweet, a screenshot of which has been shared by Mr Yadav, mocks singer Rihanna for supporting the farmers' protest while sharing a troll post that uses derogatory words for the artiste.
Other posts by the handle supported calls for razing mosques and played up right-wing propaganda such as "love jihad".
Meanwhile, several Twitter users have pointed out grammatical errors in Prof Pandit's message to the students.
Among them is BJP MP Varun Gandhi who has said "such mediocre appointments serve to damage our human capital and our youth's future".
Prof Pandit's appointment comes after the tenure of Prof M Jagadesh Kumar which saw several controversies at the premier central university, including the 2016 sedition row, the disappearance of student Najeeb Ahmed and the 2020 attacks on campus.