The University of Madras has cancelled a lecture titled “How to Spread Christianity in India”, scheduled for March 14, following protests from the ABVP, Hindu organizations, and social media backlash.

The lecture, part of the Sir S Subramania Ayyar Endowment Lecture 2024-2025, was to be delivered by K. Siva Kumar, Chief Engineer, Hyderabad. The event sparked controversy after the invitation went viral, drawing criticism for allegedly promoting religious conversion in a state-funded university.

BJP state secretary S. G. Suryah condemned the university, while several social media users accused it of turning a “temple of learning into a propaganda platform.” Following the outrage, the university formally announced the cancellation of the lecture.

University Registrar Prof. S. Elumalai informed Raj Bhavan that the Department of Ancient History and Archaeology had not obtained prior approval for the event. “We instructed the concerned individual to cancel the lecture immediately,” he stated.

J. Soundararajan, Associate Professor and Chairperson of the School of Historical Studies, confirmed the decision, citing “administrative reasons.”

The ABVP claimed responsibility for stopping the lecture, stating on X (formerly Twitter), “Our intervention prevented religious propaganda from entering a state university. This demonstrates our commitment to keeping universities free from biased ideologies.”

Also read: Madras University: 5 students suspended for protesting against authorities