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India Today
3 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
Sporting keffiyeh, Indian-American MIT student slams univ's Israel ties
Sporting a keffiyeh, a symbol of Palestinian solidarity, the president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Class of 2025, Megha Vemuri, slammed the university's ties with Israel and said MIT students wanted a "free Palestine". The Indian-American student was delivering the commencement speech at MIT's graduation also hailed the students of MIT for standing with the Palestinian people and said they would not tolerate the university's research links with the Israeli military, she said, "The Israeli occupation forces are the only foreign military that MIT has research ties with." "This means that Israel's assault on the Palestinian people is not only aided and abetted by our country, but our school," she added in her Thursday also urged graduates to take action beyond campus."As scientists, engineers, academics, and leaders, we have a commitment to support life, support aid efforts, and call for an arms embargo and keep demanding now, as alumni, that MIT cut ties (with Israel)," she also heaped praise on varsity students for their efforts in recent months to cut ties with Israel. "Last spring, MIT's undergraduate body and Graduate Student Union voted overwhelmingly to cut ties with the genocidal Israeli military," Vemuri said in her commencement her address, Vemuri also spoke of the atmosphere of uncertainty within academia and the significant challenges confronting student activists in the US. "It is no secret that at this time, academic institutions across the country are shrouded in a dark cloud of uncertainty," she said."The question of what will happen next echoes in our minds, and there is a lot of fear in many of our hearts," she STUDENTS WILL NEVER TOLERATE A GENOCIDE: VEMURI"You called for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, and you stood in solidarity with the pro-Palestine activists on campus. You faced threats, intimidation, and suppression coming from all directions, especially your own university officials, but you prevailed," she said hailing the varsity students, adding, "Because the MIT community that I know would never tolerate a genocide."Highlighting the devastation of Gaza's higher education system, she said, "As we prepare to graduate and move forward with our lives, there are no universities left in Gaza.""We are watching Israel try to wipe Palestine off the face of the earth, and it is a shame that MIT is a part of it," she added.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Indian-American student Megha Vemuri calls out Gaza genocide in graduation speech: ‘MIT wants a free Palestine'
At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)'s graduation ceremony, Class of 2025 president Megha Vemuri, an Indian-American student, used her speech to strongly support Palestinians and speak out against the school's ties to Israel. Vemuri wore a red keffiyeh, a scarf that shows support for Palestine, as she spoke to fellow graduates, families, and faculty. 'You showed the world that MIT wants a free Palestine,' she said. Her comments came during a time of growing protests across US college campuses about the war in Gaza and universities' connections to companies or groups involved in the conflict. Vemuri spoke about how this has made things uncertain for students and schools. She criticised MIT's links with the Israeli military, calling it a serious concern for the school's morals. 'The Israeli occupation forces are the only foreign military that MIT has research ties with; this means that Israel's assault on the Palestinian people is not only aided and abetted by our country, but our school,' Vemuri said. Despite pressure from university leaders, she praised students who have stood up in support of Palestine. 'Last spring, MIT's undergraduate body and Graduate Student Union voted overwhelmingly to cut ties with the genocidal Israeli military. You called for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, and you stood in solidarity with the pro-Palestine activists on campus," She said, praising students for standing their ground despite facing 'threat, intimidation, and suppression coming from all directions, especially your university officials.' Megha Vemuri further added, 'We are watching Israel try to wipe Palestine off the face of the earth, and it is a shame that MIT is a part of it.' She compared the situation of MIT graduates with students in Gaza: 'While we prepare to graduate and move forward with our lives, there are no universities left in Gaza.' 'As scientists, engineers, academics, and leaders, we have a commitment to support life, support aid efforts, call for an arms embargo, and keep demanding now, as alumni, that MIT cuts the ties.' At the end of her speech, Vemuri asked her classmates to turn their class rings outward, a tradition that represents graduates stepping into the world. But her closing words were serious and direct, 'We carry with us the obligation to do everything we can to stop it,' she said.
