ISLAMABAD: The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has banned its Class of 2025 president, Megha Vemuri, from attending graduation ceremonies after she condemned Israel’s genocide in Gaza during her commencement speech. Despite being barred from campus, Vemuri will still receive her degree.
Defiant Stand for Palestine
Wearing a keffiyeh over her graduation robe, Vemuri criticized MIT’s ties to Israel and praised student protests against Gaza’s destruction.
“We are watching Israel try to wipe Palestine off the face of the earth,” she declared, urging alumni to demand MIT sever military-linked partnerships.
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Her speech, shared widely online, highlighted the eradication of Gaza’s universities and MIT’s complicity in the violence that has killed over 53,000 Palestinians.
Institutional Backlash
MIT President Sally Kornbluth interrupted the ceremony, claiming Vemuri “misled organizers” by deviating from her pre-approved speech. University officials accused her of “disrupting” the event, though no specific policy violations were cited.
Vemuri rejected the punishment as hypocritical: “MIT massively overstepped to silence dissent while claiming to support free speech.”
The move reflects a broader crackdown on pro-Palestine voices across U.S. campuses. NYU recently withheld a student’s diploma for similar remarks, while Columbia suspended 65 protesters.
The Biden administration has escalated visa restrictions and social media vetting for international students, targeting dissent under the guise of “national security.”
Global Reactions
Vemuri’s courage drew widespread praise, with supporters calling her a “hero” for risking her academic future to confront genocide.
However, Indian critics accused her of “selective activism,” sparking online debates about solidarity with Palestine versus other global injustices.
As universities weaponize policies to suppress moral opposition to Gaza’s destruction, Vemuri’s act underscores a vital truth: silence enables atrocity.
Her speech—delivered on a stage meant to celebrate institutional pride—instead exposed its moral bankruptcy.
