In Defense of Prof. Sasanka Perera: Academic Freedom & the Cost of Intellectual Honesty
Roshan Pussewela | 01 September 2024 | Colombo Telegraph
In the wake of recent developments that led to the forced retirement of Prof. Sasanka Perera, it is crucial to reflect on the implications of this decision for academic freedom and intellectual discourse. Prof. Perera, a distinguished scholar and public intellectual, found himself at the center of controversy after one of his doctoral students submitted a research proposal that included a citation from a YouTube video featuring an interview with Noam Chomsky. In this interview, Chomsky made critical remarks about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asserting that Modi “comes from a radical Hindutva tradition” and is attempting to “dismantle Indian secular democracy” and “impose Hindu technocracy.”…