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Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed sparked widespread controversy on September 21, 2026, by defending an IIT Bombay professor accused of abetting a student’s suicide, stating that her “generation was mentally strong”.
Following intense backlash, she later clarified that she had not spoken against marginalized communities and was simply backing an exam invigilator’s right to stop cheating.
The controversy
The controversy stems from an incident where a BTech student, Sahil Wakode, 22, died by suicide after being caught using a mobile phone during an exam. The parents filed a police complaint and an FIR was registered against Professor Suryanarayana Doolla alleging casteist slurs and abetment of suicide. On X, Mohamed defended the professor, stating that admonishing
a cheating student is normal and remarking that “our generation was mentally strong”.
In this suicide, I stand with Professor Doolla. If a student is caught cheating, it is normal to admonish him & ask him to leave the room. If the student was harassed due to his caste, he should have complained to the SC/ST department. When we were kids – we were admonished by… https://t.co/xxskmCmp7K
— Dr. Shama Mohamed (@drshamamohd) September 21, 2026
She wrote on X: “In this suicide, I stand with Professor Doolla. If a student is caught cheating, it is normal to admonish him & ask him to leave the room. If the student was harassed due to his caste, he should have complained to the SC/ST department. When we were kids – we were admonished by teachers, parents for our wrongdoings but our generation was mentally strong. I would request colleges to have mental health therapists for the wellbeing of the students.”
While she suggested hiring mental health therapists, her comments faced severe criticism for appearing insensitive to mental health and caste discrimination.
I have not said a word against Dalits- I have only said that when any child is caught cheating, it is the right of the invigilator to admonish him. We cant allow students to copy in an exam! I have also written that if casteist slurs are being used, the student must complain to…
— Dr. Shama Mohamed (@drshamamohd) September 21, 2026
The Clarification
Following the backlash, Mohamed clarified that she harbours no anti-Dalit sentiment and spoke only in defence of exam integrity and an invigilator’s right to address cheating, while reiterating that casteist discrimination should be reported to the SC/ST department.
“I have not said a word against Dalits- I have only said that when any child is caught cheating, it is the right of the invigilator to admonish him. We cant allow students to copy in an exam! I have also written that if casteist slurs are being used, the student must complain to SC/ST departments . Please dont abuse people who stand with dalits, instead tackle the real issue,” she wrote on X.
