Importantly, many of JNU students now teaching in hundreds of universities and colleges have made a significant contribution to curricular reform and modern thinking in these institutions. The JNU course structure has served as a model for syllable of several central and state universities.
Let us see what some of JNU’s former students, now occupying important positions, have to say. CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechuri was student of JNU from 1973-78. He did MA (Economics), but could not complete his PhD due to his arrest during Emergency. After Emergency, he was elected JNU Students’ Union president thrice in one year (1977-78).
Congress leader Ashwani Kumar was in JNU from 1976—77. He did M.Phil in International Law, Economics and Diplomacy. He says “JNU as a university has, throughout its existence encouraged free thought and free expression . I don’t agree and reject the suggestion that unpalatable view is ground enough to stifle free speech, least of all by invoking the draconian and colonial anti-sedition law.”
NCP spokesman D P Tripathi was in JNU from 1973-77. Did MA and M.Phil in political science, and was JNUSU president from 1975 to 1977. He says “my views are very clear. This is a concerted attack on the institution of JNU which has been a centre of excellence and contributed to different walks of national life.”
Union Commerce and Industry MOS, Nirmala Sitharaman was in JUU from1980-86. Did MA, M.Phil on Indian and European Union trade relations. She says “JNU has always had a culture of discussions, political debates and so on. But this time, at least from all the information that is available, the space has been knowingly or unknowingly allowed to be exploited by extremists, separatists, Maoists. Leninist groups. As a result, the freedom of expression, which is very valuable for universities, has been taken over as an instrument for propagating anti-India, India-destroying slogans, and that is where it hurts me.”
Harish Chandra Meena (BJP) MP says “ as an ex-student of JNU, I am proud of that institution. It has a big contribution in what I am today. But I condemn anti-national activities, regardless of whether they happen in a university or any other place. It is for police to decide who did what, but it is not fair to paint an institution an anti-national for acts of individuals. JNU has always had very fierce debates on national and international issues because consciousness levels are very high…. There is no denying the fact that people from all kinds of backgrounds come to JNU and make a success out of their lives.”
Another BJP MP Bhagirath Prasad, a former student of JNU is of the view that “JNU is a wonderful university where bright students come from all over the country and make the institution proud with their academic achievements. It is important that different viewpoints should be protected in a university to help in flowering of new ideas. However, in this case there were pro-Pakistan slogans, slogans supporting Afzal Guru..The government was apprehensive that there may have been infiltration by terrorists. It is never a welcome measure to allow police to arrest university students. These are exceptional circumstances. Different ideologies have always prospered in JNU—in our times there was a group called Freethinkers. There was never any government intervention, but in this case the government and society got worried by what was happening.”
Udit Raj, another BJP MP from North-West Delhi was in JNU from 1980-83. He says “ I do not think my party or ABVP consider JNU as an anti-national institute. They are against those extremist elements in the university who raise slogans against the nation and in favour of Afzal Guru. I want those who raised slogans against India to be punished under law. I do not want students to misuse the freedom of expression. The law has to take its own course and if innocent students were arrested, the court will leave them. I do not think the university will be destroyed. The university has support from all across the world and its alumni are in all premier institutes. It is strong enough to defend itself.”
It will be unfortunate if an institution like JNU is damaged because of the current controversy. (IPA Service)
India
JNU HAS HIGH TRADITION OF DEBATE AND DISSENT
ALL EFFORTS ARE NEEDED TO PROTECT ITS CHARACTER
Harihar Swarup - 2016-02-27 10:04
An attempt is being made to destroy Jawaharlal Nehru University, one of the finest universities at a time when most public universities are not in best of health. Doubtless, JNU is India’s finest university. Its contribution to scholarship is well known and widely recognized; its importance to national intellectual life is undeniable. It has produced social scientists who are highly rated the world over. Its former students have been and are in the higher echelons of the government, bureaucracy, policy institutions and media. Many vice-chancellors, directors of research institutes and chairpersons of important academic are drawn from JNU.