Harvard Club of India Clarifies Stance on Alumni Letter Over Delhi Protests

The Harvard Club of India, representing alumni of the prestigious United States-based university, issued a formal clarification on Monday regarding a recent letter circulated by a group of individuals concerning the protests in the national capital. The organization emphasized that it neither endorsed nor authored the statement in question, which purportedly condemned police conduct and the detention of participants during demonstrations held on October 10.The controversy stems from a letter attributed to approximately 100 Harvard University alumni. The document leveled allegations of “police brutality, unlawful detention, and violations of constitutional rights” against the authorities following a large-scale security operation in Delhi. On October 10, security forces mobilized around 41,000 personnel to manage the city during planned protests related to the Special Intensive Revision exercise, which involved the office of the Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar. Reports indicate that the security clampdown resulted in the detention of approximately 7,000 people, significantly impacting movement across the capital.Following the circulation of the alumni letter, the Harvard Club of India moved to distance itself from the sentiments expressed by the signatories. Rajat Sethi, a member of the club's Executive Committee, addressed the matter in a statement to the news agency ANI. He clarified that the organization has not issued or endorsed any formal communication regarding the protests or the subsequent police actions.“As a member of the elected body of the Executive Council of the Harvard Club of India, which is the official alumni group of Harvard University alumni in India, I wanted to issue a clarification that certain individuals have gone ahead and issued a letter remarking on and making comments about the recent protest and the detention that followed. I wanted to issue a clarification that this is not the official position of the Harvard Club of India,” Sethi stated.Sethi further explained the institutional framework of the alumni body, noting that the group's charter and mandate strictly preclude the issuance of political statements. According to the committee member, the organization functions as an alumni group rather than a political entity, and it does not represent the views of the larger Harvard University community on sensitive socio-political developments within India.“Therefore, this clarification is to explain to the larger audience that certain individuals who happen to be alumni of Harvard University have issued the statement in their personal capacity,” Sethi added. He underscored the importance of distinguishing between individual expressions of opinion and institutional representation, asserting that while the club respects the right to personal expression, such views cannot be conflated with the formal stance of the official organization.The clarification concludes that the signatories, despite their shared status as Harvard graduates, were acting entirely on their own behalf. The Harvard Club of India remains firm in its position that the administrative and constitutional requirements of the club prevent it from taking sides in political disputes, maintaining its focus on its core functions as an alumni network.