This Article is From Mar 23, 2016

Showcause Notices Indicate Ideological Bias: JNU Students To Varsity

Showcause Notices Indicate Ideological Bias: JNU Students To Varsity

The letter by students say, "The protest (against Manusmriti) did not involve any breach of peace and were absolutely within domains of established democratic forms of protest."

New Delhi: JNU students union has written to the university administration alleging that the recent "spate" of showcause notices issued by it indicate certain "ideological bias" and "censorship" through disciplinary method.

"There is an emerging trend of intimidating students through spate of 'show-cause' notices by the administration based on particular political and ideological expressions by the students of university," the letter said.

"Notices have been issued to students for protesting against Manusmriti-specifically its highly offensive pages on women. The protest did not involve any breach of peace and were absolutely within domains of established democratic forms of protest," it said.

The communication further read, "in another case notice has been issued to a student for writing Jai Bhim on a wall".

"The said notices indicate a certain kind of ideological bias and censorship through administrative and disciplinary methods. We urge you to ensure that the administration does not act in a partisan manner and target students who hold ideological views that differ from that of the dispensation ruling the country," it added.

The students have been protesting against show-cause issued to them in connection with the February 9 event terming it as "weird". The notices issued regarding the Manusmriti burning have also met the same response from students.

The latest being the showcause to Jitendra Kumar of School of Languages, who has been served the notice for writing on the administrative building.

While the students claim he has been served the notice for writing "Jai Bhim", the notice served to him mentions "defacement of wall" but doesn't describe further.

Meanwhile, the students have also written a separate letter to the administration seeking action against a professor for her alleged remarks calling Dalits and Muslim teachers "anti-national".

Amita Singh, who is the chairperson of the varsity's school of governance has made the alleged comments in an interview to a web portal.

The National Minority Commission as well as the National Commission for Scheduled Castes had also objected to Ms Singh's comments and sent notices to university in this regard. The varsity has already asked Ms Singh to submit her clarification for the same.

"Her statement heightens a sense of threat and intimidations especially since she is a Chairperson with administrative powers. We urge you to take action against her for making such unfolded allegations and constitute a fact-finding enquiry in this regard," the letter sent by JNU Students Union said.

 
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