Notice to JNU over course on terrorism

New Delhi: Taking suo moto cognisance of reports that the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has proposed to start a course on “Islamic Terrorism,” the Delhi Minorities Commission on Tuesday issued a notice to the registrar of the university seeking to know the reason behind the proposal.

The commission has asked the registrar to explain on what basis the course on “Islamic terror” is being started by the university, said Zafarul Islam Khan, the commission’s chairman.

Meanwhile, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind General Secretary Maulana Mahmood Madani in a letter to vice-chancellor of JNU strongly condemned the decision to introduce  the course under the newly approved ‘Centre for National Security Studies’. The JNU Academic Council recently passed a proposal to set up a Centre for National Security Studies under which there would be a course on “Islamic terrorism”., said a professor who attended the meeting said last week.

The DMC has asked the JNU administration to reply whether there is any concept paper or proposal to include a course on “Islamic Terror” in the proposed “Centre for National Security Studies”, and demanded a copy of it.

“Has the current administration of the JNU considered the implications of introducing this subject in the campus on its students and on the broader society outside?,” the commission has questioned.

It has also sought details of the proposed course and areas covered by it, methodology, reference books and works to be followed, experts who will teach and undertake research on the subject.

The commission has also asked the JNU to provide minutes of the Academic Council meeting and the list of members who attended it. The JNU administration has been asked to file its reply to these questions by June 5, Mr Khan said.

The proposed course has been opposed by sections of teachers and students at the JNU. Meanwhile, Maulana Madani urged upon the concerned academic authority of JNU to reconsider the decision and suspend this move “for the wider interest”.

“If JNU administration fails to do so Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind will be compelled to take legal recourse for penal action,” he said.