Around 42 faculty members of IIT-Bombay have issued a statement against the recent incidents at Jawaharlal Nehru University and said that the “overreach” of the state in the recent incidents and the attempts of the Hindu Right to stifle dissent and suppress differences undermines the autonomy of institutions of higher education. They have also demanded that matters of contention should be addressed democratically and rationally within the purview of institutional procedures.
Taking pains to clarify that the content of the statement was the opinion of the faculty and not the institution, the faculty members said the state should not dictate meaning of “nationalism”.
“The State cannot dictate on the many meanings of what it is to be ‘Indian’ or mandate the meaning of ‘nationalism’,” the statement said.
“Rather, the State should be the one that makes sure that multiple ways of imagining one’s relationship with the nation are allowed to flourish especially when it might contradict dominant ways of thinking,” it added.
Probably referring to the clamp down on students and police action against the protestors, it said, “We are deeply concerned with the recent events that have undermined the autonomy of institutions of higher education in this country.”
“We believe that these institutions are spaces of critical thinking and expression. Matters of contention that might arise in the conduct of intellectual and social engagements need to be addressed democratically and rationally,” it further added.
The statement that it should be within the purview of institutional procedures that are responsible and accountable.
The statement concluded by condemning the overreach of the State in the recent incidents in a number of institutions and the attempts of the Hindu Right to stifle dissent and suppress differences.
NU Students’ Union president Kanhaiya Kumar was arrested last week under a case of sedition and criminal conspiracy.
