NEW DELHI: An icon to many and guiding light to others, Hany Babu has been embroiled in controversies since last year after the Bhima Koregaon incident.

A known name in academic circles, Babu is now being probed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for his alleged role in the incident. “Hany Babu is an icon for many students and teachers. The news of him getting arrested was shocking and condemnable. The BJP government is targeting people who have different ideology and raise their voice against the wrong,” said Nandita Narain, former Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) ex-president and professor at St.Stephen College.

Babu, an associate professor with Delhi University’s English Department lives with his wife and daughter in Noida. His wife, Jenny Rowena, is also an English subject teacher at Miranda House.

He and his wife are renowned DU academicians and are known for their anti-castesism stand and as human rights activist. The associate professor has been raising his voice on many national issues such as reservation, anti-casteism, guest teachers, marginalised section, Rohith Vemula case among others.

“He is a gentle, quiet and down-to-earth person who always fought for the rights of the people. He raised many issues and worked for the marginal sections of society. This government is witch-hunting innocent civil rights activist and is using this pandemic as an opportunity to slap false charges against the activists. It is a step to crush the voices of a citizen who points out the government’s mistake,” said a teacher.

Another teacher on condition of anonymity said, “The government is falsely implicating teachers and academicians. They have arrested many leaders and activists in the last two years but yet not have produced any evidence. This is harassment and threat to the teaching community for raising their voice against the scams of government.” A group of DU students, teachers have started an online protest against the arrest on Twitter and Facebook.