India to take up racial issue at Oxford University with UK

Gulf Today Report

The issue of an Indian student deciding to quit as the president-elect of Oxford University following some of her old social media posts being deemed ‘racist’ and ‘insensitive’ has now reached up to government of India.

The issue concerns Rashmi Samant, a 22-year-old student from Karnataka's Udupi.

She contested the elections for Presidency of Student Union and won. However, following some of her old social media posts being deemed "racist" and "insensitive," was forced to quit.

Samant apologised in an open letter as soon as the posts emerged. However, as the clamour for her resignation refused to die down, she decided to quit as the president-elect.

Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar said that the UK is a friendly country and a large diaspora lives there and the matter will be raised at an appropriate forum.

Jaishankar said: "As land of Mahatma Gandhi, we can never ever turn our eyes away from racism. Particularly so when it is in a country where we have such a large diaspora. We have strong ties with the UK. We will take up such matters with great candour when required."

"We will raise it when required and we will always champion the fight against racism and other forms of intolerance."