Professor Rachana Kaushal, a senior faculty member in the Political Science Department at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), has leveled serious allegations of religious discrimination and mental harassment spanning nearly three decades. She claims the sustained abuse created a hostile environment severe enough to cause a miscarriage during her pregnancy with twins in 2004. Backed by audio recordings and documents submitted to AMU’s Vice Chancellor, her complaint underscores a profound breach of secular principles and targeted harassment of Hindus in a central university.​

Origins of the Harassment

The ordeal reportedly began shortly after Professor Kaushal joined AMU as a lecturer in 1998, when discrimination based on her Hindu identity allegedly started. She endured mental pressure and excessive workloads despite her vulnerabilities, including during her 2004 pregnancy, which she directly links to the loss of her twins due to unrelenting stress. Her husband, Dr. D.K. Pandey, a professor at AMU’s JN Medical College, passed away in 2012, compounding her personal tragedies amid ongoing professional torment.​

Specific Allegations Against Senior Officials

Professor Kaushal has singled out Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Prof. Mohammad Nafis Ahmad Ansari, for explicit communal remarks, including telling her, “You are Hindu, go to BHU,” and accusing Hindu teachers of avoiding Muslim students. These statements, captured in audio evidence submitted to Vice Chancellor Prof. Naima Khatun, humiliated her in official settings and questioned her conference activities. She further claims deliberate exclusion from key responsibilities like Board of Studies meetings, despite her seniority, highlighting systemic bias.​

Evidence and Formal Complaints

Kaushal’s detailed complaint to the Vice Chancellor includes audio recordings, transcripts, and documents proving intimidation and misuse of power. Filed after years of inaction on prior grievances raised since September 2025, it demands an impartial probe and the Dean’s removal. She has vowed to file an FIR with police and approach courts if the university fails to act, emphasizing her readiness to present all evidence publicly.​

University Response and Broader Context

AMU authorities have acknowledged the complaint and initiated an internal inquiry, but no official statement or response from the accused has emerged as of January 12, 2026. Some reports note the university denying communal motives, with conflicting claims that Kaushal initially omitted religious bias in earlier complaints. This case raises alarms about minority faculty experiences in minority institutions, potentially violating constitutional secularism amid AMU’s history of religious identity debates.​

Implications for Secular Education

The allegations expose a 27-year pattern of harassment inflicting irreversible harm, including one documented miscarriage and stalled career growth for a dedicated educator. With evidence suggesting overt religious slurs in academic spaces, the matter challenges AMU’s commitment to inclusivity for non-Muslim staff in a taxpayer-funded central university. Urgent, transparent investigation is essential to prevent further erosion of trust and uphold professional equity and protect Hindus from such religious and mental harassments.