New Delhi, March 1: BJP politician Shazia Ilmi has alleged she was dropped as a speaker from a seminar at Jamia Millia Islamia university yesterday because of her party affiliation and students' objections to her stand against the triple talaq.

But the university denied any role in the event - organised by an NGO linked to an RSS official - and said it had not sought any changes to the list of speakers. Jamia and the local police denied any protest at the venue, either.

The seminar on "Muslim women's empowerment: issues and challenges" was organised by the Front for Awareness of National Security, founded by Sangh official Indresh Kumar.

Shazia claimed that one of the organisers, Sailesh Vats, had requested her not to come to the event saying nearly 500 students were protesting at the venue against her participation.

"I was told the students were protesting because of my views on the triple talaq," Shazia said.

"My name was dropped from the list of speakers. I'm being opposed because I'm a BJP leader. (As though the) Left people have the right to free speech, not everybody."

Ambar Fatmi, a Jamia student, suggested it was all a red herring. He claimed the Sangh and its student wing ABVP had been expecting protests at the venue but none happened, so they tried to conjure up a controversy.

Vats, the organiser, too played down the talk of student protests: "I heard the sound of protests outside but I did not see any. Somebody sent me a video about some students protesting because they had been denied entry."

Asked why he had then called Shazia to say students were protesting against her, Vats said he had not called her - perhaps a colleague among the organisers had.

Vats blamed Jamia pressure for Shazia being dropped. He said the event had originally been scheduled for February 16. The topic was "triple talaq" and Shazia was one of the speakers.

"But the university authorities asked us to change the topic and drop some of the speakers as the issue was very sensitive. We agreed," Vats said.

Jamia spokesperson Saima Saeed, a professor, said the university had not asked for any changes to the topic or the list of speakers.

"Jamia was not the organiser of the event. It is not Jamia's prerogative to determine either the topic or the speakers," Saeed said.

"That is between the organisers and the speakers. Jamia merely gave the facility. There was no protest at the venue."

Anand Yadav, inspector (investigation) from Jamia Nagar police station who was present at the venue, too said: "There was no protest. I was there throughout. After the discussion, the students came out and had snacks and tea."

Vats said the seminar went off well and that some members of the audience raised a few contrary points (when one of the speakers broached the triple talaq and spoke critically of it).

Fatmi, the student, said there was nothing wrong in members of the audience differing with a speaker.

"A difference of opinion is a part of any debate. Nobody protested against the topic or speakers," he said.