Students, teachers divided over action by JNU

Students of the Jawaharlal Nehru University have launched an agitation against punishments awarded by the varsity administration in connection with the controversial February 9 event, but students and teachers of other Central universities in the city have given a mixed response to the protest.

“Although free speech and expression is a must everywhere, but JNU students misuse it and hence the varsity has become so controversial. Punishment given to the students is justified, but I don’t think it would change the attitude of the students. In fact it would raise more dissent,” Amit Kashyap, a Delhi University student, said.

Some faculty members believe that the JNU students, who have been punished, have their careers in front of them and any action taken against them would ruin their prospects and morale. “Not all the students come from a wealthy background that they would pay a fine of such huge amount. It is not feasible. Rusticating them is not at all a solution, rather it would affect their academic future. A temporary suspension is still acceptable,” Jyotsna Tiwari, an Ambedkar University professor, said.

“Umar Khalid and his associates may be erudite, but they indulge in too much politics and ideology due to which they have misled a lot of people. The cultural background of JNU is so dynamic and diverse, but due to these students the JNU is no more revered in the minds of people. They have changed the idea of liberal thinking and introduced a maverick sort of lifestyle in the varsity,” said a DU professor, on condition of anonymity.

However, there are some students in the city who believe that the punishments awarded to the JNU students are not justified at all. “I am well aware of the inquiry report and am completely against the action taken against the students as the inquiry committee is completely biased. This is definitely a political vendetta. Students’ life is being played with and injustice has been done with all the students. This is reminiscent of the Rohith Vemula issue,” Muftah Ahmed, a Jamia student, said.