Haridwar, July 31 -- Gurukul Kangri University Vice Chancellor Pratibha Mehta Luthra on Friday sharply criticised Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for her recent "gaumutra expert" remark aimed at IIT Madras Director V Kamakoti, urging politicians to respect the academic community and keep educators out of political crossfire.

Speaking to ANI, Professor Luthra emphasised that politicians owe their positions to the educators who taught them and warned that disparaging respected academics in Parliament sends a damaging message globally.

"My personal opinion is that any politician reaches their position only after receiving an education from teachers. An educator like Kamakoti ji, who is the Director of IIT Madras and an expert in Computer...