IISER Pune removes a PhD research-based book by former JNU student leader Umar Khalid from its library after objections and concerns that its presence could spark unrest on campus.
Across the reports, the institute acts quickly: the book is initially displayed among new arrivals, a photograph circulates online, and IISER Pune then withdraws it as a precaution. The institute’s stated reason is to prevent misunderstandings or unrest. Free Press Journal adds additional context, including the book’s title—*Fractured Communities: Adivasi Histories and the Politics of Power*—and that it is connected to Khalid’s doctoral thesis, while noting the institute does not provide extensive detail on selection or the exact grounds for withdrawal beyond its precautionary explanation.
The differing angles focus mainly on emphasis. The two centre-right outlets foreground the withdrawal “to avoid unrest,” while Free Press Journal emphasizes the role of social media backlash and frames the episode as a rapid institute response. All coverage centers on the same core sequence: library display, online controversy, and subsequent removal by IISER Pune.
