Ashoka University in the eye of a storm over 'poll manipulation paper', dissociates itself from faculty's 'public activism'

The paper, ‘Democratic Backsliding in the World's Largest Democracy’ by Ashoka University's Sabyasachi Das, triggered a sharp back and forth between the Congress and the BJP over research claims

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Tribune News Service

Aditi Tandon

New Delhi, August 2

Ashoka University, one of the leading private universities of the country, on Wednesday found itself in the eye of a storm over a faculty member's yet to be peer-reviewed paper claiming to reveal evidence of a degree of electoral manipulation in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

The paper, ‘Democratic Backsliding in the World's Largest Democracy’ by Ashoka University's Sabyasachi Das, triggered a sharp back and forth between the Congress and the BJP over research claims.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, citing the research, said, "This offers a hugely troubling analysis for all lovers of Indian democracy. If the Election Commission and/or the Government of India have answers available to refute these arguments, they should provide them in detail. The evidence presented does not lend itself to political attacks on a serious scholar. E.g. the discrepancy in vote tallies needs to be explained, since it can't be wished away."

Caught in a political slugfest, Ashoka University in a statement said social media activity or public activism by Ashoka faculty, students or staff in their individual capacity does not reflect the stand of the University.

"Ashoka University is dismayed by the speculation and debate around a recent paper by one of its faculty members (Sabyasachi Das, Assistant Professor of Economics) and the university's position on its contents. As a matter of record, Ashoka University is focused on excellence in teaching and research across multiple disciplines, with a vision to build India's finest university, create social impact and contribute to nation-building. The University encourages its 160-plus faculty to carry out research, but does not direct or approve specific research projects by individual faculty members," the statement read.

The university added that it values research which is critically peer-reviewed and published in reputed journals.

"To the best of our knowledge, the paper in question has not yet completed a critical review process and has not been published in an academic journal," the institution's statement said.

The ruling BJP hit back saying the answer was not good enough as the paper made serious claims about electoral manipulation.

"It is fine to differ with the BJP on matters of policy but this research is taking it too far. How can someone in the name of half-baked research discredit India’s vibrant poll process? How can any University allow it? Answers are needed. This is not good enough a response," BJP MP Nishikant Dubey said reacting to the Ashoka University statement.

The paper, which has not yet found a place in any leading peer-reviewed journal, says democratic backsliding is a growing concern globally.

"This paper contributes to the discussion by documenting irregular patterns in 2019 general election in India and identifying whether they are due to electoral manipulation or precise control, i.e., incumbent party's ability to precisely predict and affect win margins through campaigning," it adds.

The researcher said he has compiled several new datasets and presented evidence that is consistent with electoral manipulation in closely contested constituencies and is less supportive of the precise control hypothesis. "Manipulation appears to take the form of targeted electoral discrimination against India's largest minority group, the Muslims, partly facilitated by weak monitoring by election observers. The results present a worrying development for the future of democracy," states the abstract of the paper which has been widely shared on social media.

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