Vol. XXXVII, No. 4 ISSN-0970-8693 APRIL 2017 Rs. 20 Academic Freedom: A Perspective EDITORIAL : Apoorvanand, Professor Hindi, Delhi University Academic Freedom: A Perspective - Apoorvanand (1) The idea of a public funded university is under severe stress in India as well as across the world. In our country universities are in decline for a number of reasons. Universities are facing serious fund cuts both by ARTICLES, REPORTS & DOCUMENTS: central and state governments. As a result most universities are University VS Narrowing Minds- understaffed and under-resourced. Universities across India suffer from Hamid Ansari (3); Academic lack of faculty with teaching being managed by temporary and guest Freedom: From the Eyes of a Young teachers in many states. Even in a university like Delhi University, nearly Teacher- Snehasata Manav (5); half the teaching posts have been lying vacant for years and most Pockets of Resistance - Mukesh teaching is done by ad hoc-teachers. Such decline in state support for Semwal (6); Shiv Sena Predictable but public universities is being observed all over the world with universities Dismayed by VC: Author Strikes being asked to look for private sources of money. In India, apart from shortage of teachers, infrastructure facilities of the university like library Back - Rohinton Mistry (9); The Closing or laboratories are also in an impoverished state. It is often said that when of Our Minds - Apoorvanand (10); the state is fiscally strained it cannot be expected to maintain the Deletion of Al-Rubaish's Poem and Universities which are the privilege of a tiny portion of the population. Cancellation of Wadud's Lecture (11); While lack of finances is a serious issue facing universities today, the What do Universities stand for – Faith crisis is even deeper. As Woodruff D. Smith argues, “…the academy's or Fact? - Dr. H.S. Chandalia (12); Be ongoing, currently heightened, financial difficulties are a manifestation of Warned, The Assault on JNU is part of a much more serious and complicated set of problems, the most a pattern (14); So, Despite a fundamental being the decline of the public sphere …. This decline has Censoring State the Show Goes on! been accompanied by a lowering of regard for the institutions that have (16); Debate is Vital for Change, says been most significant in creating and maintaining the public sphere. Of these, none are more prominent than the nation's public colleges and Jodhpur Professor Suspended in the universities.” Latest Nationalism Controversy- The Habermassian idea of public sphere, improved subsequently by Shreya Roy Chowdhury (17); other scholars, implies that democracies are sustained by the ability and E x e m p l a r y V i o l e n c e - S a t i s h desire of different sections of society to have a free exchange of ideas Deshpande (18); Closing of the and opinions on issues that concern their lives and wellbeing on an equal University - Pratap Bhanu Mehta (19); footing. We know it too well that the idea of an equal plane is at best an ideal, a dream that societies have not been able to realize. However, Annual Subscription: PUCL Bulletin Inequality arising out of class, gender, religion, caste and other factors (w.e.f. January 01, 2017) INDIA should not inhibit debate, discussion and dialogue about collective life. PUCL Members Rs. 200 For despite all disparities there exists a collectivity that everyone Non-Members Rs. 240 inhabits. This shared collectivity demands peaceful disagreements Libraries, Institutions Rs. 300 about decisions regarding economic future as well as ways of living OVERSEAS PUCL Members US$50 together. For example, we have differing view-points on questions such Non-Members US$100 as whether we should have more public spending to ensure food, health Libraries, Institutions US$120 and education for all or not, what the nature of labour-capital relationship should be and so on. How should these differences be negotiated? Experience of previous centuries tell us that violence is not the best method to resolve differences. We have seen revolutions eating their children. Human history has not been able to find any method better than democracy on the principle of open and free discussion for the purpose of negotiating contesting view-points. In a democracy everyone has all the 419

PUCL BULLETIN, APRIL 2017 1 freedom to engage with the public belief systems which support and implications. In order to perform to try and persuade people to rally are in turn patronised by the this duty in a fair manner, it has to around any idea. However, this powers that be. remain autonomous of the interests process itself is quite susceptible to Universities have been imagined of the state. This community cannot manipulation by those using and organised as structures free become an approver and advocate rhetorical means. That is how Hitler from influence of the state. The of state power and its decisions, managed to hypnotise Germans faculty, though funded by rather it has to primarily act as its and initiated them into Fascism. governments are allowed freedom critique. This is the main reason for T h e F i r s t C o m m i s s i o n o n to express their views and not treating university teachers as secondary education headed by Dr. judgment which can go against the government servants bound by a Mudaliar recognised this danger supreme power of the day. We code of conduct which prohibits when the report states that what have seen dons of Harvard them from differing with the state. James Madison said about his U n i v e r s i t y w r i t i n g o p e n l y Communities of knowledge are country, the United States, many expressing their disapproval of a l s o s u p p o s e d t o a c t a s years ago, holds good today in our Donald Trump as the president of communities of judgment. This c o u n t r y a l s o . " A p o p u l a r the USA. Popular mandate could work is done through framing of Government without popular not deter them from telling people curriculum, syllabi, organization of information or the means of that they had erred or blundered in classroom and also extra-mural acquiring it is but a prologue to a electing a man like Trump as their activities. It is not that their farce of tragedy or perhaps both. President. They were speaking as privilege to have and air an opinion Knowledge will forever govern psychologists or psychoanalysts needs to be safeguarded.They ignorance, and the people who from their professional ground. It is have a responsibility towards their mean to be their own governors not their political opinion but their peers, students and their area of must arm themselves with the professional judgment which they knowledge. They have to expose power which knowledge gives." have a duty to share with their their students to contrarian view T h e c o m m i s s i o n w a n t e d people. points, give them tools which would excellence and perfection to be the Public spheres which are the basis help them make their own analysis aim of free India : “Students must on which a democracy can work, o f t h e p r o b l e m s u n d e r acquire a yearning for perfection only if the discussions or consideration and evolve their own and learn to take pride in doing conversations conducted are done judgment. everything as thoroughly as they in an intelligent manner. People Academic freedom is therefore not can; likewise teachers should learn need support from academics to to be confused with freedom of to reject, firmly but with sympathy, have intelligent and humane speech or expression. Autonomy of all work that is half-hearted or conversations. This is one of the teachers and universities is an slipshod or casual.” vital reasons for the state to support essential condition of academic The most important task of all kinds of research because it is freedom but is not sufficient. education is to “develop the research which augments and Adequate funding and support for capacity for clear thinking which improves knowledge. Correct research, regular enrichment of distinguishes every truly educated information, rigorous application of libraries and other resources and p e r s o n a n d h a s b e c o m e methods evolved and conclusions enlarging the university space increasingly important in the examined and seconded by peers making it open to all sections of the m o d e r n w o r l d o f " p l u r a l is how the business of knowledge is society alone can make the possibilities", where every one conducted. It does need to be said practice of intellection truly must learn to make up his mind and that everything is subject to revision democratic : each one of these is judge issues and problems without and rejection. essential if we want universities to prejudice or passion.”Clear For democracy to thrive, the ability be academically free spaces. thinking is difficult to achieve. of people to discriminate between Democracy, despite all its Confused minds cannot make good falsehood and truth must be limitations is still the best approach choices. It is for this reason that cultivated. The community of to resolve problems facing modern societies seek to develop knowledge has a role and duty humanity. Human beings have t h e m s e l v e s a s k n o w l e d g e here. It has to provide information constantly sought to improve societies. But Knowledge is and arguments to expose the themselves and universities have n e i t h e r i n s t i n c t i v e n o r claims often made by the played a great role in this endeavor. spontaneous. It has to be acquired governments to justify their Societies which have an aspiration methodically. Universities are decisions. For example, it was the to evolve as intelligent and efficient spaces created for this task. A d u t y o f u n i v e r s i t y b a s e d communities have restrained University has to be a free space if it economists to examine the claims themselves from the temptation to has to perform this job of of the present cetral government tame universities. Those who have knowledge production. For, regarding demonetarization and acted otherwise have failed. Stalin, knowledge can often conflict with help people understand its Hitler, Mao, Khomeini, McCarthy in

PUCL BULLETIN, APRIL 2017 2 their attempt to make universities and the prescribed course work. questioned and defeated.. This is servile ended up impoverishing Their participation, through not the role of academics alone, the them and forcing talent and intellect seminars, symposia and other society at large has to stand by out of the system. The State means in the discussion which them and fight for them. It is for this became stronger but societies absorbs the society is sought to be reason that the PUCL has decided became weaker. criminalized. to dedicate an entire issue to this Universities in our country are in It is this perspective in which the question. We hope that the readers dire stress today. Their usefulness question of academic freedom would be able to see through the is being questioned by the central needs to be discussed and needs articles (which spread over several government when it says that the to become a concern for the civil years) archived here that the tax-payer's money is being wasted liberty movements worldwide. The danger is real and comes from on institutions like the JNU. The attacks on campuses by ideological many sources. Universities lack Prime Minister of the country groups with an objective to turn internal resources to confront and mocks the universities by ridiculing them into their propaganda- surmount this huge challenge. Harvard and claiming that it has machines have to be resisted. They need support and solidarity. been proven wrong by his own and Attempts to regulate academic We need to come forward and his team's hard work. To say that affairs through a central agency far speak out for them. c o m m o n s e n s e n e e d s n o removed from the Universities The PUCL would especially like education and the work of scholars needs to be opposed and efforts to to thank Shri. Apoorvanand who who have spent their life training make academic institutions service put together this issue on themselves in their disciplines is centres of government schemes Academic Freedom, all the futile is to question the very needs to be confronted and publications from where the e x i s t e n c e o f U n i v e r s i t i e s . challenged. Policies leading to articles have been sourced and Moreover, ministers are advising replacement of public funded the writers who responded to our students and teachers to keep universities with for- profit call and sent in their articles. ❑ themselves confined to classrooms educational institutions need to be

Universities Vs Narrowing of Minds Hamid Ansari, Vice President of India

Full text of the 66th Convocational Tiwana for the Sahitya Rattan and knowledge that may be Address at the Panjab University, in Dr PD Gupta for the Vigyan Rattan beneficial to society and the Chandigarh by the Vice President of th Awards. economy; India, on 25 March, 2017 Convocations are calling together • The need for universities to It has been my privilege to be the of a university community to undertake social research, Chancellor of this university, celebrate academic achievements given the diversity and famous for its work and alumni, for and excellence; it is customary to complexity of all societies in a almost a decade. I confess I have use the occasion to cogitate in fast changing world; and followed the dictum that a public in the expectation that the • The imperative need for Chancellor should be seen audience would do likewise. academic freedom so that the infrequently and heard rarely. I take this opportunity to share with thought process and its This is one of those rare occasions, you some thoughts on the expression is untrammeled by of convocation, when I get the importance of universities in our official or societal constraints. opportunity to congratulate the Vice society and the requirements for Do we still need Universities? Chancellor, faculty, staff and the universities to play that role. Allow me to begin with a students for the good work that is Specifically I want to talk about: blasphemous preposition: 'Do we being done here. • The idea of a university and still need Universities?' I am very happy that the University how it distinguishes itself from A professor of business psychology has decided to celebrate the other institutions where in a university somewhere has singular achievements and instructions are imparted argued that services of some individuals by focused on catering to • “Higher education is at best award of honoris causa degrees requirements of daily life; incoherent and at worst and the Rattan honours. I • The need for them to teach its suicidal since students enroll to congratulate Dr Murli Manohar members to think, to go beyond enhance their career potential Joshi for the D Litt, Justice Khehar the obvious in learning for but end up as unemployed or for the Doctorate of Law, Dr NS examination purposes, and to unemployable as they were in Kapny and Prof GS Khush for the acquire the capacity and habit their pre-college lives.” Doctorates of Science. I also to question; • He goes on to argue that the congratulate Shri Anupam Kher for • The necessity for them to focus only way to fix universities is to the Kala Rattan, Dr Dalip Kaur on research, to produce new align demand (what students

PUCL BULLETIN, APRIL 2017 3 want and employers need) with by research; understanding of the discipline. A supply (what universities offer). • Transfer knowledge to the next university law program, for • This trend of thinking, generation by education; example, should aim primarily to essentially utilitarian in a • Transfer knowledge to Society, produce graduates with a deep n a r r o w s e n s e , i s n o t by dissemination; and understanding of law, rather than uncommon in our times. And • Generating development and lawyers, per se. yet, to reduce all human activity economic growth. A University has the twin to its utilitarian dimensions is to The last, admittedly, has acquired responsibility of providing negate the ventures of the enhanced importance today but its instruction on matters of intellectual human mind and spirit that has efficacy is intrinsically linked to, and importance and conducting characterized human progress dependent upon, the institutions research on those very matters. down the ages. that produce new knowledge. These two functions should • Civilisations in different times There is much clamour and reinforce one another. In recent have brought forth universities. urgency today for university times, there is a pre-occupation P l a t o ' s A c a d e m i a a n d research to be translated into with technological research as Aristotle's Lyceum in Athens in products and services. While there against research in pure and social 4th century BC, Nalanda in is no argument against applied sciences. Often, questions are India in 5th century AD, Al research; and the need to raised about the importance, and Azhar in Egypt in 952 and commercialise such research, we benefits of social research to Bologna in Italy in 1088 were in must also accept that many of our present requirements. different senses precursors of present challenges require Situating the relevance of modern universities. paradigm-shifts and disruptive contemporary social enquiry is • Cardinal Newman in 1852 convergent innovation. After all, complex and multifaceted. It is of described a university as necessity is the mother of invention paramount importance, especially • “A seat of wisdom, a light to the only in the very short term. Over the for societies like ours that are in a world, a minister of the faith, an long haul, invention is the mother of transition process. It can help Alma Mater of the rising necessity – changing not only what address challenges and identify generation. It is this and a great is possible, but what we regard as possible solutions in areas deal more.” essential. We need to recognise essential to a transitional society's • A university training, he added, that “risk, waste and failure are all political stability and socio- • “Aims at raising the intellectual essential parts of the process”. economic development, including tone of society, at cultivating Good science, like good art, is a existential issues like inter-ethnic the public mind, at purifying the creative enterprise. relations, protection of minorities, national taste, at supplying true Today's preoccupations are often n a t i o n - b u i l d i n g a n d g o o d p r i n c i p l e s t o p o p u l a r myopic or ephemeral, giving little governance. enthusiasm and fixed aims to thought for tomorrow. History is at Social research examining the popular aspirations, at giving its most illuminating when written dynamics and direction of political, enlargement and sobriety to with the full consciousness of what economic and social change the ideas of the age, at people wrongly expected to improves our understanding of facilitating the exercise of happen. Even in the domain of such processes, and can help political powers and refining technology, future developments identify pockets of malcontent and the intercourse of private life.” only a few years away have been resentment, allowing these to be In our times, the University has shrouded from contemporary eyes. addressed before they become become not only a catalyst of Many, possibly most, have arisen impediments to social harmony. scientific and economic change, unexpectedly from research with The other important role of social but also vehicle of equalisation of other objectives, and assessments research is in questioning and chances and democratisation of of technological potential have deconstructing 'social and cultural society by making possible equal invariably missed the mark. One of mythologies' that circulate and opportunities for people – the roles of the university, thus, is proliferate in any society, especially contributing not only to economic “to prepare the knowledge that an during phases of change and growth, but to social equality or, at unpredictable future may need”. uncertainty. The period of rapid least, lesser inequality. This was More than a mere polytechnic transition in India, particularly, in summed up a few years back by the A University has to be more than a the last 25 years, offers a President of the Copenhagen mere polytechnic. University particularly fertile climate for such Business School, Per Holten- education and intellectual mythologies- which are often Andersen who identified four enrichment must not be construed harmful for liberal values and the classical and one modern function solely or even primarily as a path to exercise of democracy. Here, the of a university: employment. Even in disciplines social sciences, 'with their robust • To act as repositories of the w i t h o b v i o u s p r o f e s s i o n a l basis in rational criteria, their critical knowledge of humanity; connections, the university should view of societal phenomena, and • To generate new Knowledge first aim to build a profound the sophisticated analytical

PUCL BULLETIN, APRIL 2017 4 methods they employ', can be an must foster an environment that in our own country have shown that apt antidote. prizes intellectual freedom. Except there is much confusion about what An important aim of higher in cases of illegal conduct or a university should or should not education is to learn to ask violence, a University should never be. The freedom of our universities questions and to develop the seek to silence or influence faculty has been challenged by narrow capacity for reasoned arguments. members or students to adopt or considerations of what is perceived This is what Gurudev Rabindra renounce any particular position. to be “public good”. Nath Tagore alluded to when he Indeed, universities should take all In a period of rampant distrust of sang; legal action necessary to defend matters intellectual there is an “Where the mind is without fear... their academic integrity and imperative need to defend the Where knowledge is free… freedom. universities as free spaces, as Where words come out from the A c a d e m i c f r e e d o m i s t h e independent, critical repositories of depth of truth…” foundation of the University's knowledge, and as sources of The right of dissent and agitation mission to discover, improve, and renewal of liberal values that are ingrained in the fundamental disseminate knowledge. This is to provide avenues of social mobility rights under our Constitution, which be done by examining different and equality to people. We need to sets out a plural framework and ideas in an environment that remind ourselves of the democratic refuses any scope to define the encourages free and scrupulous aspirations of pragmatic liberal country in narrow sectarian, debate. The ideas, no matter how education while recalling that “our ideological or religious terms. The uncomfortable or disturbing to the finest universities help fulfill the “national interest” in this scheme is accepted status quo, can and must dreams of our best selves as a constitutional rule. This is what Dr be challenged, modified and even people”. Ambedkar had in mind when he discarded- on their merit, but may In November 2005 an eminent said that, never be muted or suppressed. scientist cautioned the world about “It is only constitutional morality that The University, in discharge of its the dangerous times that lie ahead must guide the government, not duties, has the responsibility of in the realities of the external world any whimsical invocation of speaking out without the fear of and warned against “retreat from n a r r o w - m i n d e d , p a r o c h i a l intimidation; and to give offence, complexity and difficulty by f i g u r e h e a d s a n d m y t h i c a l even at the cost of inviting protests. embracing the darkness of characters.” Not doing so would be to deviate fundamentalist unreason” (instead This approximates what Cardinal from the path of rational enquiry of) free, open, un-prejudiced, Newman envisaged as the role of and undermine our curiosity about unhindered questioning and the University, some 100 years the world by embracing ill-defined enquiry that are under serious before Ambedkar, that “the idea of a o r t h o d o x i e s , w h i c h w o u l d t h r e a t f r o m r e s u r g e n t university is to be determined impoverish our pursuit of fundamentalism, West and East. without recourse to any authority knowledge. This proposition has universal and should be based on human Academic freedom requires a validity. wisdom”. It should be a place for the robust tolerance for disagreement As one of the premier institutions of diffusion and extension of and criticism, a willingness to have the country, the Panjab University knowledge. one's assumptions questioned, has to play its role of a neutral Intellectual dissent and openness to new ideas that assembler of talent; that of an Intellectual dissent has the power may prove offensive. This unmatched idea factory where the to clarify differences and elucidate tolerance always has the potential passion, creativity and idealism of competing assumptions. It enables to conflict with other virtues and young minds can be applied to each of us to recognise the causes, so it needs to be defended meeting the transitional needs of strengths and weaknesses in our repeatedly and vigilantly. our society, polity and economy. thinking. Strong intellectual work We need to revisit these As the Chancellor of the University, can only be done in an atmosphere commitments today because we I urge you to proceed purposefully where scholars feel free to take are again in a climate that in this direction. risks, challenge conventions, and questions the value and scope of Jai Hind. ❑ change their minds. A University academic freedom. Recent events Academic Freedom : From the eyes of a young teacher Snehasata Manav, Department of English, Central University of Haryana Today, Indian universities and expected to be generated; where the situation of Indian universities academia are witnessing an even the most eccentric ideas are at the present moment, we will find unprecedented and outspoken supposed to be discussed and that they are being attacked, threat towards the very idea of their debated; where difficult questions questioned, and prosecuted for the existence. Universities are the are desired to be raised and very reasons of their existence. spaces where knowledge is answered. But, if we try to analyze Either it is the case of Prof. Sudha

PUCL BULLETIN, APRIL 2017 5 Chaudhary at Mohan Lal Sukhadia lies at the very core of the job of the great knowledge. They departed University, Udaipur, Rajasthan academician. It is the duty of the from us by reminding us our duty as where she was hounded for inviting teacher to acquaint the students a teacher and simply said, “Teach in Prof. Vohra to deliver a lecture on with the various facets of a problem the best way.” They had great Hinduism or of Dr. Manoj Kumar (however, those facets are expectations not only from me but and Dr. Snehsata (myself) who considered as objectionable and from the very idea of university. were strictly warned for staging a intolerable by the dominant, Ironically, their whole conversation play based on Mahasweta Devi's powerful and authoritative took me a few days back. short story “Draupadi” or of Dr. elements). She should try to break Mahasweta Devi's Breast Stories is Rajashree Ranawat at JNVU, the confines of pre-defined and the part of our syllabus in the Jodhpur who was suspended for structured notions, and should lay Literature and Gender paper and I inviting Prof. Nivedita Menon for a bare various realities submerged am teaching that paper in the 4th lecture or of a teacher at the Central under the popular, well-structured, semester of M.A. English. We had University of Jharkhand who was and well-defined reality. However, gone through the story “Draupadi” suspended because he had no ideological framework should be and for the better understanding of allegedly invited a teacher from imposed on the students, and the the story and its various issues; we JNU or of the attack at Ramjas teacher should respect the decided to watch the play College, Delhi University by ABVP; independent judgment of the “Draupadi” in the classroom. But, each incident is a painful students and let them decide for as soon as we started the play, our experience for the academia. The themselves. HOD asked me to come outside worst part of this censorship is that For almost always, the authoritative and questioned about the it has not only shrunk the limited and fascist tendencies make this screening of the play. He literally space which was available to the argument that their actions are in pleaded me to stop the screening. I students and teachers but also put the interest of the nation and witnessed fear in his eyes. I the inner censor in their minds. society. But, they forget that they questioned his approach but finally When a young teacher joins a don't have any right to decide for had to stop the play. Then I realized university, she remains very eager the society. Society has its own that even the so called autonomous to perform her duties as a teacher logic and reason and it can make its classroom was not my own. and contributes in building a free own judgments. Here, I want to Travelling through the seminars and vibrant atmosphere in the share a personal incident to qualify and conferences, the bullying society. But, if the teacher is the argument that common masses censorship had infringed my warned, bullied, and punished for have their own intelligence. classroom, my syllabus, my the same, next time, instead of Yesterday, my Mother and Aunty content, and my study material. eagerness and joy, there would be (both are illiterate who never got the And I failed in protecting my confusion and suspicion in her chance to get education) happened academic space in the face of mind. In the same way, student's to visit our university. We showed insensitive administration. I wanted curiosities are also nipped in the them the new academic blocks and to tell all this to my Mother and Aunt. buds. They are threatened for they were overwhelmed by the I wanted to tell them that their being critical and creative. Hence, grandeur of the place. While imagined 'beautiful minds' are this censorship not only thwarts moving through the campus they slowly and gradually being academic freedom but has the were talking to each other and I was terrorized and hampered by dirty capacity to engulf the very listening to them. The most striking fascist tendencies. I wanted to conditions in which academic thing in their conversation was their alarm them that instead of open environment can be bloomed freely ideas about university and debates and healthy discussions, and fully. knowledge. In their local dialect, fear and silence were prevailing in Academic freedom is often taken they easily made it clear that those beautiful spaces. But I didn't as a synonym for freedom of education imparts knowledge and say anything to them. How could I expression. Freedom of expression knowledge liberates mind. They terrify and scare those fearless appears more personal, related to remarked that in the beautiful and expectations? I couldn't, because expression of one's personal big buildings of the university, these selfless expectations are the opinions. But more than a right to beautiful and fearless minds were only hopes which would be able to express views, academic freedom laboriously engaged in generating revive fearlessness and confidence in the confused minds. ❑ Pockets of Resistance Mukesh Semwal The Maharaja Sayajirao University nationally and internationally for month, however, this prestigious (MSU) in Vadodara, Gujarat, is upholding the highest standards of institute hit the headlines as one amongst the top universities in the creative and critical practice. It is more target of police-supported country with a global reputation. also reputed for its commitment to Hindutva hooligans in Modi state MSU's Fine Arts College is reputed the freedom of expression. Last where the rule of law is an alien

PUCL BULLETIN, APRIL 2017 6 concept. students of the fine arts faculty Alliance government at the Centre On May 9, 2007 the saffron establishes that it was clearly and the Modi-led BJP government brigade, led by an advocate, Niraj meant for academic evaluation in in Gujarat have aggressively Jain, stormed the university the annual examination. intensified the process. They have premises. The cause of their The exhibition was ransacked by not only appointed puppets as vice misplaced rage was a painting by the saffron brigade with the help of chancellors but taken the exercise Chandra Mohan, a student from the t h e p o l i c e a r m e d w i t h a many steps further by actively graphics department of the fine arts magistrate's order. Such an action choosing those committed to the college in Vadodara, which was within the precincts of an academic sangh parivar's hate politics for part of a collection of students' institution of high repute, under the these critical and prestigious posts. paintings displayed for assessment nose of the VC and the university's The result of such blatant attempts by examiners for a master's degree administrative authority, is at academic control by politicians in fine arts. Mohan's painting, unthinkable. Right-thinking and political parties has resulted in depicting nude figures with some persons across the country have syllabi being redesigned with a religious motifs, allegedly hurt been appalled by this fascist act view to shun the rational and "Hindu religious sentiments". This and have come out openly in scientific outlook and doctor young was enough for the self-appointed solidarity with the protesting minds. In a nutshell, the moral police to barge into the students and faculty of the MSU. democratisation of education has campus, disrupt the annual Within Gujarat and, in particular, been severely arrested. examinations in progress and beat amongst teachers and students of The unchallenged practice by all Mohan up. MSU, the latest incident is being political parties to control What is even more shocking is the seen as part of a concerted attempt institutions has made the BJP's job role of the police. Instead of taking by the sangh parivar to subvert the even easier. Whenever it comes to action against the lawbreakers, the autonomy of institutes of higher power the BJP uses these police promptly arrested the learning and to bring them under unhealthy precedents, albeit more unfortunate student and charged saffron sway. aggressively. Wherever it is in him under various sections of the The process, started when the control of state governments, the Indian Penal Code (section 153 – Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) sangh parivar, in its bid to Promoting enmity between assumed power in the state some universalise Hindutva ideology, is different groups on grounds of 10 years ago, only accelerated going for all out saffronisation even religion, etc, section 114 – Abettor after the 2002 carnage. Though a as it destroys the very fabric of present when offence is committed, similar communalisation of the democratic, secular and scientific section 295 A – Deliberate and campus has been under way in education. malicious acts intended to outrage other universities in Gujarat, a Pre-planned vandalism of May religious feelings of any class by vibrant struggle has emerged 2007 insulting its religion or religious within the MSU to challenge it. The marauders chose examination beliefs). They opposed his being Against all odds, both teachers and time for their assault on the Fine given bail and had him locked up in students at MSU are resisting the Arts College with the objective of Vadodara's Central Jail for five nefarious plan to destroy their rousing communal passions in days. As if that was not enough, the powers of resistance and to trample Vadodara. The faculty was targeted vice chancellor (VC) of MSU, Dr on the autonomy of MSU and thus because its students and teachers Manoj Soni, was party to the ugly pave the way for absolute control of had dared to stand up to the puppet episode. Instead of upholding the the university by the Hindutva vice chancellor, Manoj Soni. The dignity of his university, speaking brigade. backdrop to the incident was the up for Chandra Mohan and In a way, this phenomenon is part of earlier uncalled for thrashing of a demanding police action against the two-decade old effort by student from the arts faculty by a Niraj Jain and his hoodlums, Soni different political parties across the security guard at the instance of a chose to suspend the dean of the country to undermine the autonomy hostel warden. Strong protests fine arts faculty, Prof Shivaji of universities following the from students of the faculty, backed Panikkar. National Policy of Education, 1986 by their dean, Prof Shivaji Panikkar, Freedom of the arts and literature coupled with directives of GATT left the atmosphere within MSU are vital in any democracy. There and the WTO. Be it the Congress smouldering. Clearly the VC is out may be divergent views on this party in states where they are in to teach this independent faculty a sensitive issue. Accredited artists power, or the CPI (M)-led Left lesson. of high calibre, refinement and government in West Bengal and Systematic saffronisation culture are those fit to comment on Kerala, most political parties, Following the 2002 carnage, the works of art. What constitutes 'national' or 'regional', are MSU was brought totally under the beauty and what is obscenity uncomfortable with genuine control of the BJP and its mentor cannot be decided by a self- autonomy for universities. g r o u p , t h e R a s h t r i y a constituted moral brigade. The way Far from being the exception, the Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). In the exhibition was displayed by previous National Democratic 2003 the University Syndicate, the

PUCL BULLETIN, APRIL 2017 7 highest decision-making body agitations resulting in the for the implementation of the which formulates rules and emergence of a genuine students' Common University Act. regulations in the university, was movement in MSU. After taking over as VC in April completely in the grip of the sangh The 'hostel movement' in 2004 was 2005, Soni briefly tried to cultivate parivar. For the first time in the a big blow to saffron forces. In June the image of a popular student- history of MSU, there was no voice 2004, when students were leaving friendly VC. But the pretence did of dissent at any of the syndicate after exams were over, the not last long. Barely three months meetings. Many non-academics University Syndicate arbitrarily later, he sat on hunger strike in the and persons of low calibre were decided to close down two boys' company of BJP/RSS leaders made senate members by the hostels: Lal Bahadur Shastri (LBS) opposing a students' agitation. G u j a r a t g o v e r n m e n t . T h e Hall and Manubhai Mehta (MM) What came as a shock to many in academic year 2003-04 sounded Hall. It also introduced some major the MSU was the brutal use of force the death knell for MSU as various c h a n g e s i n t h e h o s t e l against agitating students on July anti-student, anti-education administration, including the 18, 2005 in the VC's presence. measures were taken by university centralisation of power in the hands Instead of intervening, Dr Soni said, authorities. of the chief warden. Being a "They were shouting for justice, Only those with unflinching loyalty residential university, MSU has 12 and justice has been given to to sangh ideology could climb the boys' hostels and four girls' hostels. them." ladder of academic success. After These hostels can accommodate The Common University Act (CUA) the 2002 carnage, most of the VCs only 3,500 students, which is was a draconian move by the state appointed to various universities in inadequate for the existing strength government to bring all universities Gujarat owed their allegiance to the of students. in the state under tighter political ruling party. The current VC, Dr DSO launched a movement and bureaucratic government Soni was rewarded with this post against the closure of the hostels. control. A successful agitation for praising Modi and eulogising the The authorities had to give in to launched jointly by teachers and carnage. The university magazine students' demands after students' students prevented the Act's of the arts faculty was not allowed gheraoed the VC for about eight implementation. However, Soni is to publish a resolution condemning hours on August 15, 2004. This was already imposing provisions of the the communal carnage. Nor was the first time in years that the CUA indirectly – by victimising t h e r e w a s a n y o f f i c i a l BJP/RSS syndicate was compelled students, punishing members of condemnation on the murderous to bend before a democratic the teaching faculty and interfering attack on Prof Jussar Bandukwala, movement. in the day-to-day academic affairs a senior faculty member of the MSU under Soni of various faculties. He is trampling MSU, during the 2002 violence. MSU's current VC, Manoj Soni, is a on academic freedom and the The atmosphere of free debate, former student of the university. autonomy of the university, discussion and democratic dissent Previously a reader in the political blatantly trying to let university has been vitiated by the saffron science department of Sardar Patel affairs be run from Gandhinagar. brigade for some time now. In 2003, University, Anand, he took over as This was evident during the recent activists of the BJP's youth wing, VC of MSU on April 17, 2005. What incident at the fine arts faculty of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad s u r p r i s e d m a n y w a s t h e MSU and especially given the (ABVP), destroyed placards a p p o i n t m e n t o f s u c h a n antecedents of many who stormed against the US invasion of Iraq put inexperienced person to manage its gates. up by the all-India Democratic such a prestigious institution. The student community has played Students' Organisation (DSO). In Ironically, he would have been an important role in various September 2002, RSS syndicate content with the post of reader in movements to safeguard university members and ABVP activists the political science department at autonomy and oppose the anti- stalled a seminar sponsored by the MSU. education polices of university University Grants Commission and Soni's proximity to Modi was one of a u t h o r i t i e s a n d t h e s t a t e organised by the department of the factors responsible in government. To gag this rising history, where Islamic scholar, catapulting him to the top post. He students' voice, MSU authorities Asghar Ali Engineer, was is understood to be the brain behind banned the students' election in scheduled to be the main speaker. the draft of the Common University 2005-06. A Students' Action In 2003, DSO was denied Act, an enactment intended to Committee then launched a permission to organise a cultural d e s t r o y t h e a u t o n o m y o f movement against this step. festival in the fine arts faculty hall universities. He is the youngest VC Elections were held a year later, in even though non-university related that MSU has had. While the 2006, in an extremely tense and organisations, including religious BJP/RSS lobby loves him, those repressive atmosphere. bodies, are regularly permitted to w h o o p p o s e t h e C o m m o n That year, the VC's anti-student hold their functions there. The DSO University Act see him as a man attitude was once again on display, was being thwarted because it had specially brought in by the Modi this time during the agitation for led two successful student government to prepare the ground admissions to the master of arts'

PUCL BULLETIN, APRIL 2017 8 history course when some female administration. She has since filed true object: the issue of autonomy. students lay down in protest a case in the Gujarat High court Arousing people's religious outside the VC's office. Instead of stating that because she, a Hindu, passions would of course fulfil a hearing their pleas, Soni simply is married to a Muslim, she was dual purpose and reap rich political walked over the agitating students! made a victim of communal bias. dividends before assembly Ultimately, the protest movement Prof Bharat Mehta, a reader in the elections in the state. succeeded but the VC's arrogance department of Gujarati literature, Hence all efforts need to be shocked all right-thinking persons has also been denied promotion concentrated on supporting the in Vadodara. because of his secular credentials. struggle by students and teachers As with students, so with the Mehta has screened films on the to ensure the autonomy of MSU. teaching staff. University teachers Gujarat carnage and been active in The saffron brigade and the ABVP are routinely tempted by the lure of debunking saffron propaganda are out to confuse and divide the postings, promotions and positions about the Godhra incident and the university's students while if they toe the saffron line. Hostel post-Godhra genocide. Congress (I)'s student wing, the wardens are also selected on the Today the autonomy of MSU is in National Students Union of India, is basis of their pro-RSS leanings. grave danger. The VC, Soni, is out also playing a short-sighted and RSS shakhas (branch meetings) to saffronise it. The saffron brigade divisive role. are freely allowed on the university wants to generate a controversy Courtesy Communalism Combat, June campus. around Chandra Mohan's paintings 2007 Year 13 No.123, Genocide's A woman teacher in the home and never mind the question of Aftermath Part I, Hindu Taliban science faculty was denied a artistic freedom. "Hurting religious Link: https://sabrangindia.in/article/pockets- promotion because of the growing sentiments" is but a clever ploy resistance ❑ c o m m u n a l i s m i n M S U ' s used to divert attention from their Shiv Sena Predictable but Dismayed by VC: Author Strikes Back Rohinton Mistry The Shiv Sena's student wing probabilities but silent on the matter the ugly notion of self-censorship. complains to the Vice-Chancellor of of moral responsibility. The Vice-Chancellor knows what Mumbai University that it is In this sorry spectacle of book- he must do to remove the stain. offended by the novel Such a Long burning and book-banning, the This sordid story, however, does Journey. Copies are burnt at the Shiv Sena has followed its have a bright spot. Civil society, has University gates. Needless to say, depressingly familiar, tediously responded, in Mumbai and no one has actually read the book. predictable script of threats and e l s e w h e r e , w i t h o u t r a g e , The mob leader, speaking in Hindi intimidation that Mumbai has questions, petitions; it is inspiring to to a television camera, says: The endured since the organisation's see. The stand taken by teachers, author is lucky he lives in founding in 1966. But it is the citizens' groups, bloggers, Canada—if he were here, we would expeditious decision by Mumbai journalists is exemplary. Who burn him as well. The mob University which causes profound knows, it may even educate the demands the book's removal within dismay. After his long silence, the main actors about the workings of a twenty-four hours, from the Vice-Chancellor has now stated real democracy. s y l l a b u s . T h e g o o d Vi c e - that he, in fact, followed the correct As for the grandson of the Shiv Chancellor obliges the mob. procedures, and the decision was Sena leader, the young man who All this happened in September. taken by the Board of Studies. The takes credit for the whole pathetic Subsequently, the Shiv Sena sent outgoing Board of Studies, to be business, who admits to not having fulsome congratulations to the precise. More bobbing, weaving read the book, just the few lines that Vice-Chancellor on his prompt and and slippery behaviour is no doubt offend him and his bibliophobic wise decision. Students and faculty in the offing. But one thing remains: brethren, he has now been protested in abomination, unwilling a political party demanded an inducted into the family enterprise to accept his abuse of power, his immediate change in syllabus, and of parochial politics, anointed invoking of emergency measures Mumbai University provided de leader of its newly minted "youth unused in the University's 153-year luxe service via express delivery, wing". What can — what should — history, circumventing the process making the book disappear the very one feel about him? Pity, for syllabus change, damaging the next day. The University, in the disappointment, compassion? U n i v e r s i t y ' s r e p u t a t i o n , person of the Vice-Chancellor, Twenty years old, in the final year of succumbing to political pressure. occupies an exalted position in a BA in History, at my own Alma For days, the Vice-Chancellor said civilised society, the champion of Mater, the beneficiary of a good nothing, offered no explanation. He academic independence and education, he is about to embark is, we are told, a PhD in statistics — freedom of expression. Instead, down the Sena's well-trodden path, a useful subject for dealing with Mumbai University has come to appeal, like those before him, to permutations, combinations, perilously close to institutionalising all that is worst in human nature.

PUCL BULLETIN, APRIL 2017 9 Does he have to? No. He is clearly He can think independently, and he And I would urge particular equipped to choose for himself. He can choose. And since he is drawn attention to this verse: could lead, instead of following, the to books, he might want to read, Where the mind is without fear and old regime. He could say carefully this time, from cover to the head is held high; something radical — that burning cover, a couple that would help him Where knowledge is free; and banning books will not feed one make his choice. Come to think of it, Where the world has not been hungry soul, will not house one the Vice-Chancellor, too, may find broken up into fragments by narrow homeless person nor will it provide them beneficial. First, Conrad's domestic walls; gainful employment to anyone Heart of Darkness, in order to ... Into that heaven of freedom, my (unless one counts those hired to consider the options: step back Father, let my country awake. light bonfires), not in Mumbai, not in from the abyss, or go over the edge. (Courtesy Indian Express, Maharashtra, not anywhere, not N e x t , t h e N o b e l l a u r e a t e Oct 19, 2010) ❑ ever. Rabindranath Tagore's Gitanjali. The Closing of Our Minds Apoorvanand, Prof Hindi, Delhi University Removing the A.K. Ramanujan progressed only because of this seek to question the originality of a essay from the Delhi University unique human habit, of doubting creation, he merely lights up the history reading list is a sorry everything? Is this not what we, as web of a universe that is its compromise with intolerance — teachers, do in our classrooms, breeding ground. and a rejection of the spirit of encourage our students to think It would have been useful if the academic inquiry and imagine autonomously? We try academic council, composed of The Delhi University academic to instill in them the courage of scholars from across disciplines, council's decision to drop A.K. intellect. And we gain this courage had asked their colleagues from the Ramanujan's essay, 'Three by the strength of independent history department about the logic Hundred Ramayanas', from the research. behind including this text by a poet, prescribed readings for BA The withdrawal of the Ramanujan translator and folklorist. How do the ( h o n o u r s ) h i s t o r y a n d B A essay is a rejection of the spirit of principles of creation, telling and (programme) students, brings back research, which is the driving force retelling impact historiography? memories of Bombay University's behind knowledge creation. It was These would have been academic move to remove Rohinton Mistry's his rigorous research that led him to enquiries. Sadly, as we are told, this novel Such a Long Journey from the conclusion that the cultural area was not done. A debate that lasted the syllabus. The victimisation of where the Ramayanas are more than two hours did not ask art-historian Shivaji Pannikkar by e n d e m i c h a s a p o o l o f questions about the tools that such Baroda's Maharaja Sayajirao signifiers,(like a gene-pool) that texts fashion, which can help University is another long and include plots, characters, names, interdisciplinary pedagogy. It was painful story. The many, many geographies, incidents and also not realised that replacing the cases of books and plays being relationships.” This essay is, in a Ramanujan essay with two essays proscribed by various governments way, about the universality of the by Ram Sharan Sharma and form the general climate in which Ram-Katha in an area that far Romila Thapar militates against the our universities operate. exceeds the political boundaries of interdisciplinary principle that It is yet another instance of retreat India. It is about diversity, as well as university authorities have been by the intellectual community continuity. And on the basis of this, asking the departments to adopt. before the forces that do not believe Ramanujan enunciates a principle Authorities tell us that this reading in the fundamental principle behind which helps us understand the was part of a study-scheme that the idea of a university. “Controvert working of creative processes. He expired in 2009,and the question of and not conform” is what says that the various texts of the dropping it was only a technicality, universities tell their members. Ramayana relate to each other since the university was to report to Think of the Nobel-winning through this common code or the Supreme Court its approach discovery of non-replicable common pool. Every author dips towards this particular text. In 2008, q u a s i c r y s t a l s b y D a n i e l into it and brings out a unique the history department was Shechtman, which challenged crystallisation, a new text with a attacked by some people, who established notions about matter. unique texture and fresh context. claimed that this essay was Shechtman was even asked to He concludes that no text is sacrilegious. The matter went up to leave his research group for original, yet no telling is mere the Supreme Court and it felt that it suggesting the existence of retelling — and the story has no was for the university to decide quasicrystals, but persevered, and closure, although it may be what was good for its students. It this award is rightly seen as a enclosed in a text. You do not read asked the University of Delhi to celebration of fundamental anything for the first time. It is seek expert judgment on the research. Has not all knowledge already there. Ramanujan does not suitability of this essay for

PUCL BULLETIN, APRIL 2017 10 undergraduate students of history. department's decision to include Our students have been reading The essay was referred to four this essay in their readings. The and enjoying this essay since 2008, experts, three of whom said that its majority kept mum, claiming that even after the violence around it. a c a d e m i c m e r i t w a s this was a fight between two That we have not been equal to unexceptionable. One expert ideological groups that they did not their intellectual maturity is what differed. What would have been the want to be part of, and so they saddens me,as well as that we normal course of action? To go by ended up silently voting out the thought it better to buy peace from a the opinion of the majority, one essay. It is an ominous sign for the bunch of people who have been would assume. The council, future of academic autonomy in rebuffed by less autonomous however, thought otherwise. Indian universities. It is also a signal institutions like NCERT (which One shudders to think that there for us teachers — play it safe, stood its ground against their were only nine voices to defend because you will not be defended threat). I feel diminished as a Ramanujan,and the history by your own peers. teacher and complicit in this act of academic compromise. ❑

Courtesy Indian Express 13th October 2011 Deletion of Al-Rubaish's Poem and Cancellation of Wadud's Lecture Apoorvanand Deletion of al-Rubaish's poem and cancellation of Wadud's lecture happened on our watch Close on the heels of the axing of a act that was a creative way to disseminated widely through such poem in an English textbook by the expose undergraduates to the publications,can it not be claimed University of Calicut for the alleged emotional impact of the “war on that Guantanamo is not an “terrorist links” of the poet,came the terror”. Who would dispute that the inhuman place after all,and it is news of the cancellation of a war on terror is a contemporary unjust to compare this with the scheduled lecture by Amina issue? How does literature react to camps set up by the Nazis or Wadud,a US-based Islamic it? Why and how do the Communists? scholar,by the authorities of the Guantanamo detainees choose Aesthetes have worried if well University of Madras. Calicut poetry to convey their pain and intentioned publications like this University succumbed to the trauma? Most of them are non- one would not encourage an demand of the Shiksha Bachao poets. Can something they instrumentalist approach to poetry. Andolan,an outfit of the RSS inscribed on coffee cups or floors of Scholars like Homi Bhabha may parivar,that the poem “Ode to the prison cells,in their desperation to see the poem as an attempt by the Sea” be removed from the textbook speak,be accorded the exalted suffering to find a new temporality “Literature and Contemporary status of poetry? away from the one he is imprisoned Issues”,as its author,Ibrahim al- “Ode to the Sea” is the favourite of in. Are such poems sensory Rubaish,was a “terrorist”. It was Marc Falkoff,an attorney fighting for monuments humans keep building also demanded that those 1 7 Ye m e n i d e t a i n e e s a t to preserve their agonies,to deny responsible for the selection be Guantanamo,who has edited humanity a reprieve or catharsis? identified to “uncover” the network Poems from Guantanamo: the These are questions young minds of terrorist “sympathisers” in the Detainees Speak. He selects it as it need to grapple with. They need to board of studies and academic i s “ s t r i k i n g i n t e r m s o f comprehend the enormous council of the university. imagery,metaphor and thematic capacity of human beings to The vice chancellor promptly complexity”. It doubles up as a practise cruelty. They need to ordered a probe by a senior dean lament and a complaint. The poet's question the security their states w h o , a f t e r v i s i t i n g t h e complaint to the sea for its claim to create for them by coming internet,discovered to his horror indifference to the suffering of the face-to-face with the eternal that al-Rubaish did have terrorist detainees is also an admonition to insecurities large populations are affiliations. He recommended the the American people for their subjected to — through drone poem's removal,saying that acquiescence in the acts of their attacks or illegal capture of persons “students would not lose much if rulers. This poem,along with who are then invisibilised by caging they do not read this poem”. One of others,put this uncomfortable them in Guantanamo. the textbook's editors explained question to the American people: is Universities are meant to pursue that,at the time of the poem's Guantanamo an exception to the the idea of excellence. Excellence selection,there was not much democracy as practised by them,or is achieved only by training minds material available online about the is it its natural and inevitable to be courageous, to wade into poet. They would not have selected product? At the same time,should turbulent waters. This is why the it if the poet's background was this poem's publication,with the University of Iowa decided to known to them. Pentagon's permission,be seen as publish it. America is the It is an irony of our times that editors a clever public relations ploy? fountainhead of the war on terror. are being shamed for an intellectual Since poetry thrives in jail and is Why does an American university

PUCL BULLETIN, APRIL 2017 11 have this courage and why do we higher authorities when they exhorts us, “People of India, you lack it? decided A.K. Ramanujan's “Three have a chance to redeem Even more disturbing was the Hundred Ramayanas” was not yourselves for your own best Madras University's decision to necessary reading for their interest. Do not be silent when the order its Department of Islamic undergraduate students. ignorant speak, claim your voice. Studies to cancel Wadud's lecture. The failure of India's academic And when one gives a service, one This was an attempt from within to community to react to these “local” can just as easily stop giving. So expand the largely male discourse assaults bodes ill for the task of that is my location, I am no longer on Islam and could have been an intellection universities were willing to give to India.” It may all occasion to foreground the created for. Wadud asked in her sound harshly unpleasant coming concerns of gender, justice and tweet: “It is also a shame that from a foreign voice, but do not we, equality in an Islamic vocabulary. Madras University went to so much collaborators in these crimes One recalls how the will of the trouble to be thwarted by factions of against philology and academic history department of the University t h e i g n o r a n t . W h e r e t o thought by our silence, deserve it? of Delhi was similarly trampled by intellectualism if that is so?” She Published August 6, 2013, Indian Express ❑ What do Universities stand for – Faith or Fact? Dr. H.S. Chandalia, Former Zonal Secretary, AIFUCTO What do the Universities stand for? the universities and other academic has been filed by Devendra Singh Do they stand for upholding faith in a institutions by imposing the political Chundawat, a leader of the students particular way of life or do they stand ideology of the ruling party and its wing of ruling BJP namely ABVP. for exploration of facts? Do they mother organization RSS which Another police complaint has been stand for inquisitiveness or they they always claim to be a cultural filed by the University by the Dean, stand for blindfolded belief in organization. The farce has been Faculty of Social Science and already scripted texts? Are the Vice amply exposed by the way chief Humanities Prof. Farida Shah. This Chancellors custodians of the spirit Ministers of UP, Uttarakhand , Goa came after the order of the then of inquiry or are they exponents of etc. have been chosen. The Union Higher Education Minister of the ruling political ideologies? Do they Ministry dictates what days to be State of Rajasthan Kalicharan foster quest for reason or rebuff observed and what festivals to be Saraf. It is evident from the pace of such quests? Are the Universities celebrated. Christmas Day was action that the honourable Minister Gyan Mandirs or simply Muths of declared a working day in Central did not have time to read the text of s o m e f a i t h ? A r e t e a c h e r s Universities to celebrate the birth the speech. propagators of rationality or do they day of former Prime Minister and Prof. Ashok Vohra delivered an preach superstition? BJP leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee and extension lecture on 'Dharmik These and many other questions the state government of Rajasthan Samvad: Adhunik Anivaryata' have surfaced today in the followed suit by declaring Eid as a (Religious Dialogue: The Need in academic world as nearly three working day in government colleges Contemporary Times), organized by years of the present Rajasthan to observe the birth anniversary of the philosophy department of the Government have resulted in the BJP leader Deendayal Upadhyay. Mohan Lal Sukhadia University flouting of all academic norms and Little do they care for the rupture (MLSU) in collaboration with the traditions which existed in the world they are causing in the integrated Indian Council of Philosophical of higher education in the state. The social fabric of the nation. Not to Research on December 3, 2015. In scene at the national level is no less mention the transfers and his lecture Prof. Vohra said that grim. The Union Ministers for deputations of college teachers on western scholars were constricted Human Resource Development the basis of political inclinations, the by their environment and so they have acted like party loyalists than government of Rajasthan has put on a n a l y z e d H i n d u g o d s a n d as custodians of the world of letters the website of its department of goddesses through uni-dimensional in the country. In last thirty two college education the names of reading of Hindu religious symbols months they could not find time to books written by authors showing and idols. He cited, among others, meet the delegation of All India clear adherence to the political line the works of clergyman Norman Federation of Universities and of BJP with the direction to colleges Macleod, Indologists M A Sherring College Teachers Organizations. to buy those books. and David Kinsley among others. The Universities are almost teacher To top it all is the incident of filing an He also referred to Paul B less. More than four thousand posts FIR against a retired professor of Courtright's 1989 book 'Gane'sa: of teachers in Central Universities Delhi University Prof. Ashok Vora Lord of Obstacles, Lord of are lying vacant. who delivered a lecture in the Beginnings' and his analysis of Lord The state has unscrupulously department of Philosophy, Mohan Ganesha's elephant head “from a usurped the academic freedom of Lal Sukhadia University. The FIR psychoanalytical perspective”. It

PUCL BULLETIN, APRIL 2017 12 was during this explanation that at the Central University of Haryana of RSS. In his vehemence he not Vohra courted controversy though and now in J.N. Vyas University, only made baseless charges he underlined “I have deliberately Jodhpur also similar things are against the speaker Prof. Ashok used the translation used by being talked of. Vora and organizer Prof. Sudha Courtright. One can see how The propagators of this hate Choudhary but went to the extent of tenuous the proof is”. campaign did not stop here. They calling for a state wide movement if Reports that have appeared in went to the extent of accusing the stringent action is not taken against Newspapers say that the speaker organizer of the lecture Prof. Sudha them. What more action is required Prof. Ashok Vora had allegedly Choudhary who was trying to instill once an FIR is lodged and a fact made indecent remarks on some of reason in the debate. She not only finding committee has been the Hindu Gods and Goddesses. provided the whole script to formed? Had it not been better for Someone in the audience made everyone who wanted including the him to see what is happening in his video and audio clips of the selected media but also held a press university than to poke his nose in parts of the speech and posted on conference to explain the truth. other universities? the social media which created a There were demands to take action Professor Sudha Chaudhary, head furor. Later it was found that the against her also. Is there anyone of department of the philosophy speaker Prof. Ashok Vora had not who can explain what on earth her department at MLSU, called the only admired Hinduism but also fault was? She was trying to explain episode “an attempt to hegemonise pronounced it as the best religion of what the speaker had said in his the university's intellectual the world which was all inclusive, speech. Should even this right be autonomy”. that there was no need for denied to her? Being the head and “Where will a free flowing exchange conversion in the context of professor of the department of of ideas take place if not within the Hinduisism. He had simply quoted philosophy is it not necessary for her a c a d e m i c e c o s y s t e m o f a some parts of the texts of some to defend the speaker by trying to university?” she said. foreign authors to make his point remove the confusion created by It is unfortunate that the universities that those who are exterior to a some vested interest groups? The are being reduced to just system of knowledge are unable to committee of teachers formed to profiteering and money- making understand the culture of that investigate into the whole issue also institutions where no original system and hence are subject to tried to persuade her to stop thought can breathe. There is utter misrepresentation. Prof. Vora defending Prof. Vora. Ironically , the bankruptcy in the state policy of warned against this type of teachers and authorities like the higher education. Days like representation and called for Vice Chancellor who should have "Kartavya Bodh Divas" are being rejection of such texts. In fact he stood together for defending their introduced through which some was furthering Edward Said's notion academic freedom to discuss RSS Pracharak is invited in of the question of representation, issues freely, seem to have cowed Government Colleges to address much healthily debated in literary down to the pressure of the exterior the students. Rajasthan has the circles. forces. highest number of private Not following what he intended and However, a group of teachers in the universities which are not being said the propagators of blind faith leadership of SUTA met the Vice monitored by any agency. They are painted the whole speech in Chancellor and demanded check on flouting all norms laid down by UGC demoniac colours and created an the mud - slinging on the speaker in appointments as well as atmosphere of unwarranted and the organizing department. emoluments of teachers and other tension, anxiety and fear in the Similarly a group of progressive employees. There seems to be no U n i v e r s i t y. T h e u n i v e r s i t y writers, journalists and left wing check on their fee structure. Without administration also cowed down to parties submitted a memorandum to qualified teachers to guide the such muscle flinching organizations the district administration to scholars, research degrees in large and not only did nothing to stop the examine the whole issue and numbers are being given. b a s e l e s s p r o p a g a n d a b u t requested them take action against Once again the state of higher acknowledged them by setting up a those who had spread fictitious education is in question. What is the fact finding team and asking the clippings to vitiate the atmosphere importance of such institutions if Dean to register a complaint with the in the university and outside. they cannot honour skepticism and police. Also, the Vice Chancellor The worst turn in the debate came provide space for open debate? accepted the demand of the with the statement of Dr. B.P. They lose their meaning the accusing group to set up a Sharma, Vice Chancellor of a moment the democratic forces are screening committee to examine Private University. Everyone knows silenced by bullying forces of state the scripts of the scholars who that he taught in a private college power and their allies. The would in future come to the whole of his life and earned this academic autonomy of Universities University for delivering invited position of Vice Chancellor from just is increasingly becoming a myth. In lectures. a lecturer because of his position in one case it is bound in the shackles Similar decisions have been taken Swadeshi Jagaran Manch, an organ of ruling power and in other case profit motive enthralls it. ❑

PUCL BULLETIN, APRIL 2017 13 Be Warned, the Assault on JNU is Part of a Pattern Romila Thapar, Prof. Emeritus, JNU There is by now little doubt that we are be beyond the comprehension of most NCERT. We were accused of being currently being governed by those that politicians. anti-Indian and anti-national for the seem to have an anti-intellectual mind- To maintain that a statement made views we held on ancient Indian history. set. This spells trouble for universities about the possibility of a segment of the The government demanded that our that are concerned with high standards Indian nation breaking away is sedition, books be proscribed. But in the election of teaching and research. shows neither an understanding of the that followed the government fell, so Recent events at JNU raise many word nor knowledge of the historical the books survived. questions pertinent to us as citizens of occasions in the last half century when Almost 25 years later, in the first NDA India. The questions have become such statements were made with government the matter was taken up imperative because it is apparent that reference to other parts of India. This is again. The then education minister, many who govern us have little not the first time that Kashmir has been Murli Manohar Joshi and his BJP sensitivity to understanding the mentioned as part of such a cohorts referred to the authors of the fundamental issues crucial to suggestion. There have been earlier textbooks – and I was included in this – governance. For example, what are the threats of secession from other parts of as not only anti-Hindu but also anti- necessary aspects of a democratic the nation, such as Nagaland and Tamil national, anti-Indian, and academic system, or how essential are equality Nadu, and the intention of establishing terrorists of the worst kind. Enthusiastic and human rights as components of the Sikh state of Khalistan to mention politicians demanded that we should be democracy to be taught and nurtured in just a few. Some others are not arrested and punished for writing these educational institutions. Every completely silent even in present times. books. Fortunately, the first NDA articulation of thought and action is Threats of secession are in part the way government did not take itself too judged these days by its immediate in which nationalisms play out in seriously and did not go around political implications and seldom by the nations that extend over large arresting many teachers and students wider context of ethics, society and territories and multiple cultures. It has for being anti-national, largely because citizenship. to be understood as a process of their definition of what was anti-national A recent example was the discussion change and debated rather than being became a matter for ridicule. Anti- on capital punishment where a handful silenced by calling it sedition. national for them was in effect a limited of students had gathered on the JNU The debate on sedition goes back to term, namely anti-Hindu. campus. Obviously the names of those the early years of independence when Pathetic attempt recently given this punishment cropped the attempt to silence free speech was In the latest move of the BJP-RSS up in the discussion, and very soon this successfully resisted by the Supreme government pertaining to universities, became the dominant political aspect Court, ( Brij Bhushan vs. State of the student union president who was and the sole consideration, setting Delhiand Romesh Thapar vs. Union of arrested at JNU has been accused of aside all other questions. Slogans took India). Nehru was in favour of being anti-national and indulging in over in a confused fashion as happens expunging sedition as unconstitutional. sedition. He has been accused of in such situations and the serious issue Those were the days when democracy raising slogans on independence for of capital punishment was lost. Capital was valued and was nurtured. We Kashmir and praise of Pakistan. The punishment is not just an issue of should familiarise ourselves with the irony is that the student union president concern to nationalism alone. It many occasions when sedition has who was doing just the opposite of what involves aspects of ethics, morality, been objected to and on valid grounds, would be regarded as anti-national and religion as well as the context of the and therefore consider its removal from seditious and was trying to close the punishment, and it is not in the least bit the body of laws. Laws that can be discussion, was the one who was surprising that opinions differ on all e a s i l y m i s u s e d s h o u l d b e arrested. these issues. The logical follow-up reconsidered. Governance does imply It is now being held, very much as an could have been a more extended taking an intelligent interest in the after thought, that the group that held discussion of the subject, from other debates on the laws by which we are the meeting were instigated by the perspectives, rather than the insistence meant to be governed. Lashkar-e-Tayyaba. This is at best a by some of those present that this was The first foray rather pathetic attempt to institute a an anti-national issue, and their then Then there are those who, because charge of terrorism with no other proceeding to have the government they are critical of some aspects of the evidence but a dubious tweet. Does intervene and clamp down on it. nation, are immediately condemned as government evidence rely on tweets? Sedition and secession anti-national. Taken literally this And are dubious tweets enough to As has been said by almost everyone adjective would apply to a large number accuse a person of sedition ? This is not who has written on this event, the terms of Indians who are critical of various just a case of the government and the that the government uses in its charges a s p e c t s o f e v e n t s i n I n d i a . police being adamant, but it appears to against the JNU students are Governments turn by turn have be a well-planned strategy to problematic and cannot be bandied described people as anti-national but destabilise JNU. There was just too about in a casual way. Charges of the frequency of this accusation has much unusual alacrity in the way sedition, extremely serious as they are, increased in the last couple of years. It events moved. One can't help but feel nevertheless are slapped on anyone has been applied so often by the BJP that somewhere along the line, the for virtually any critical opinion about that the word has become virtually present government has lost its initial the country. Even the dictionary meaningless, but not harmless, confidence in itself and is now resorting meaning of sedition is enticement to because it can be used to politically to unpleasant tactics. An example of violence and the overthrow of the persecute a person. The ancestor to this was the way in which JNU faculty state/government. As others have the BJP – the Jan Sangh party, when it and students and some media people pointed out, there is a considerable was part of the government of Morarji were beaten up at the Patiala House difference between advocacy of violent Desai, subsequent to the Emergency – Court by a bunch of lawyers, said to be methods and actual incitement to criticized the history textbooks written of the BJP, when there was to be a violence. But such distinctions seem to by some of us and published by the hearing of the case against the student

PUCL BULLETIN, APRIL 2017 14 union president. Are the courts of law of the same procedure in each case. those governing. One can only ask why now going to have to resort to fisticuffs? The similarities are curious. The first the government is so apprehensive of Education as catechism step is to ensure that the person intellectuals? Is the government being The ideology central to the BJP-RSS appointed in a position of authority in ham-handed with universities because has no space or use for liberal thought. the institution is relatively unknown, as from the minister down they fear the Education for such organisations have been many of the directors, potential power of those universities means only what can be called a kind of chairmen, and vice-chancellors that encourage their students to think catechism. This is a memorisation of a appointed in the last 18 months in independently? Or is this a deliberate narrow set of questions rooted in faith various institutions. They are relied way of creating a general ambience of and belief and an equally narrow set of upon to follow the orders of the fear in the institutions? The existence of answers that prohibit any doubt or government. The next step is to locate a such a fear would make it easier to deviation. The same technique applies g r o u p p r e f e r a b l y d e b a t i n g impose syllabi, courses and methods of to all subjects. Therefore educational contemporary issues, and instruct the teaching emanating from the think centres that allow questioning and local AVBP cadres to create a tanks of the RSS. Not to mention that it discussion are anathema and have to confrontation with such a group in the makes those employed in universities be dismantled. course of the meeting, and the more pliant. Since what is referred to as Hinduism confrontation could even result in some A culture worth fighting for does not confine itself to a single violence. This allows the ABVP to claim For those of us who were among the sacred book, nor is there exclusive that they were attacked first and for a founding members of JNU, the events worship of a single monotheistic God, complaint to be made to the local BJP of the last few days at the university is a the notion of blasphemy so crucial to politician, readily to hand, who then moment of a far bigger intellectual and the Christian and Islamic religions has takes it up with the minister, and who emotional crisis than has ever little application to the Hindu religion. then orders the authority concerned to happened before in its history. JNU was However, in the Hindutva version of rusticate the students, to bring the founded on the principles of democratic Hinduism, aimed at establishing a police into the premises and arrest the functioning, both administratively and Hindu Rashtra – a state where Hindus non-AVBP students, irrespective of in the content of the education it are the primary citizens and the whether or not they were involved in the imparted. It meant a generally positive purpose of governance is to uphold confrontation. relationship between teacher and Hindu principles – the notion of a kind of The normal university reaction in the student, and a frequency of free blasphemy is applied to those that are past has been not to allow police on the discussion both on matters academic critical of Hindutva that is equated with campus or to make arrests. The and on the world we live in. It meant the Hindu Rashtra. This is then equated exception was during the Emergency. more rigorous training in the subjects with the nation. Criticism of it is Generally, a committee of enquiry is taught and this experience improved described as anti-nationalism so such appointed by the university. It is treated the work both of teachers and students, criticism can be silenced. To call as an internal matter of the institution. and all of which was underlined by an criticism as “hurt sentiment” is now Police action can only be permitted if insistence on critical enquiry. We were much too mild. It has to be treated as there is a serious breach of law. A group conscious of stretching our minds to blasphemy/anti-nationalism, and of students shouting slogans is not a beyond what was readily known and in treated as a serious crime. This helps to serious breach of law. What was done encouraging students to look beyond convert a secular state into a religious in the JNU reminds me of the saying “to the obvious. It was these factors that state, which ultimately is the aim of the bring a sledge-hammer to crack an made it into a prestigious university, a RSS. egg.” The intention was obviously not trend-setter in many subjects that were The BJP-RSS government currently in just to crack the egg but to smash it taught in other Indian universities. It power is unable to have a dialogue with completely. But it looks as if the egg is was again these factors that gave it an institution such as the JNU and other now on the face of the government. international recognition, on par in similar universities such as the One might well ask why the BJP-RSS is many subjects with the best Hyderabad Central University. The so bent on dismantling institutions of universities outside India. emphasis from the start in such learning and converting them into This of course is the opposite of the universities has been on questioning teaching shops. Is it the premium on rather pathetic BJP-RSS version of existing knowledge, exploring new conformity and out-of-date knowledge what is meant by education at any level, knowledge and relating knowledge to that the BJP-RSS would like to define judging by the views of the HRD the existing reality. This is the very as education? Is it the kind of education ministry. To see the BJP-RSS opposite of merely handing down that is given in the shishu–mandirs and government trying to annul what we s e l e c t e d i n f o r m a t i o n w i t h o u t madrassas that is seen as ideal in have achieved in JNU and reduce the questioning it. This is a problem that the form? Interestingly the institutions that university to a pedestrian teaching BJP-RSS government has to face with come under attack are those that are shop, is like having to see the work on a number of pace-setting prestigious associated with freedom of thought, the one's lifetime being systematically centres of learning that do not asking of questions, the advancing of destroyed. Many of us chose to work in substitute catechism for learning, and knowledge. Those that conform to JNU rather than take up lucrative instead demand the right to debate a education as learning by rote and positions in universities abroad, subject that may be thought to be providing supervised answers are not because we had a vision that we could blasphemous to the nation as defined interfered with all that much, since this make it among the best academic by Hindutva. So the alternative is to try pattern of learning fits into a catechism centres located in India. And that and dismantle such centres of learning style. excellence it has experienced. As one by creating disturbances. This will There is by now little doubt that we are academic who lived a substantial part eventually prevent them from currently being governed by those that of my life working in the JNU, and functioning as they are intended to do. seem to have an anti-intellectual mind- contributing to this vision, the hostility of Method in the madness set. This spells trouble for universities the current government to the JNU There seems to be something of a that are concerned with high standards leaves me with a sense of despair and pattern in the organisation of such of teaching and research, and it would sadness for the future of universities in disturbances, since there is a repetition seem beyond the comprehension of India. However, I must add that

PUCL BULLETIN, APRIL 2017 15 experiencing the protest of the JNU the trauma of this attack it is likely to be citizen. community against the attack that has even more committed to the values for Romila Thapar is a historian who taught been mounted on it, does make me feel which it was created – excellence not at Jawaharlal Nehru University for that perhaps the values that we had only in intellectual enterprise but also in many years tried to inculcate in its early years have endorsing a humane and open society (Courtesy The Wire.in taken root. When JNU recovers from upholding the rights of every Indian 16.02.2016) ❑ So, Despite a Censoring State the Show Goes on! Dr. H.S. Chandalia, Former Zonal Secretary, AIFUCTO Fourth Udaipur Film Festival in willing to move, but constant of their wages? Support of Justice for Rohit pressure was brought on them from A highlight of the festival was the the Vemula and Delta Meghwal the organisers, other intellectuals of premier of the film Kairana Surkhiyon Becomes an International Event the town and from Jaipur from where ke Baad. Directed by Nakul Sahni, It was a success that the state had to civil liberty groups met senior the celebrated director of films like unleash all its power to suppress the officials. Finally the police conceded 'Muzaffar Nagar Baki hai' and' voice of protest and still the show and allowed it to be held at the Vidya Izzatnagar ki Asabhya Betiyan', went on even as its echoes were Bhavan auditorium. Although the Naqkul Sahni had come to Udaipur in heard across the world. The Fourth harassment of the organisers the last film festival. The twenty Udaipur Film Festival took place in continued by delaying the written seven minutes film exposes the real the city of Udaipur on the 14th, 15th and permission, demanding that the hard causes of the communal divide and 16th October 2016. About a month disk with the films be handed over. economic backwardness of Kairana , back the convener of the film festival Nevertheless the ABVPplans of which never find place in TV debates. Dharmraj had taken permission from ensuring cancellation were defeated In fact, this film was also a cause of the Dean, Rajasthan College of and the city had its festival. But here the restlessness of the Hindu brigade Agriculture for the auditorium and the too our dear policemen in uniform who were saying that why should requisite fee was deposited. The and plain clothes were guarding the such films be shown in Udaipur which venue was advertised in all the shows, taking detailed notes and is a calm place. It shows their status communications and posters of the asking simplistic questions to the quoist character. The children's festival and suddenly to our surprise organizers and the audience. The session was a very lively session in on 13th of October, the permission ghost of Rohit Vemula had snatched which children from a number of was withdrawn by the administration their sleep and made them restless. schools including DPS participated in of Maharana Pratap University of How could they be expected to know good number. They made paintings, Agriculture and Technology. Although the sin, cos, delta or omega of the sang songs, listened to stories and Dr. Uma Shanker Sharma, Vice cinema of protest? saw a film 'Gattu' based on the life Chancellor of the University said that This prologue was necessary and dreams of a rag- picker boy. it was the jurisdiction of the Dean and because it shows the character of the Another very important film was he had no role to play in it but who state in the BJP rule. Also, it shows Flames of Freedom directed by doesn't know that it was the pressure that even Universities have become Subrat Kumar Sahu. The film of RSS and ABVP of which he has porticos of power with no space left documents the struggle of the tribes, been a cadre, resulted into this for freedom of thought and dalits and OBCs in Odisha's town decision. The University said that the expression, leading us to conclude Ichchapur. It presents how the organizers did not have the that the idea of Universities is on its brahminic forces have captured the p e r m i s s i o n o f t h e d i s t r i c t way out. land and other natural resources of administration. But it was clear to all The fourth Udaipur Film Festival was these people and how they have the that the ABVP had objected to the dedicated to Iranian film director united to fight against this use of Rohit Vemula and Delta Abbas Karostami, Mahashweta Devi, exploitation. The presence of Samuel Meghwal on the poster, to whom the Punjabi novelist Gurdayal Singh and John in the festival was a great film festival was dedicated too. Their Sulabha Deshpande. Organized by motivation. The film 'Anhe Ghode Da allegation was that the film festival Udaipur Film Society and Jan Daan' in which he played the lead role would case disharmony between Sanskriti Manch the festival raised touches and disturbs the audience. groups. the voice of what happened in the The pathos, helplessness and a The district administration and the model state of Gujarat at Una and in robust optimism make a contrasting police kept on postponing their Maharani's Marwar with Delta ethos of the film. He plays the role decision till 11.00pm on the 13th. Their Meghwal. In the wake of war hysteria very convincingly. Other films and arguments were the same, remove and blind folded glorification of the documentaries like Sairat and the name of Rohit Vemula and Delta armed forces, the plight of the Masaan were also liked by the Meghwal, we would like to see the sweepers and cleaners of Mumbai audience. films before taking a decision and and Pune municipal corporation was The spoilers succeeded in the sense finally refused to give permission to depicted in a film Kachra-Vyuh that the audience was about the have the festival at the Rajasthan directed by Atul Pethe.It documents same in number as in the earlier College of Agriculture. that 22,327 employees engaged in festivals, however the viewer stayed The organisers appealed to the this job of scavenging die every year. longer on for the screenings and public at large and the Chairperson of Are they not martyrs? Their wages discussions and enjoyed every bit of the Vidya Bhawan Society came are so low that they cannot take loans the festival. The organizers forward and assured the use of their f r o m b a n k s . W i l l t h e P M ' s succeeded more because the auditorium. The police was still not swachchata abhiyan include revision crooked design of the administration

PUCL BULLETIN, APRIL 2017 16 working at the command of the RSS, Ladat Samiti, Saurabh Kumar who should also be made to the driving ABVP and other allies were fully made the film Agnishikha on honour forces of the Udaipur Film Society exposed and this message spread all killing, writer and poet Prem Chand Shailendra Pratap Singh, Himanshu, across the country. The film festival Gandhi, general Secretary of Pragya, Shanker Lal Chaudhary and was successful because of the Pragatisheel Lekhak Sangh. It was a the entire team who do this every presence of the father of the success that the policemen also saw year to shake this town and wake it deceased Delta Meghwal, Ideologue the films and finally it was a success from slumber. along with the Dalit thinker Bhanwar because the teachers accompanying My message is - You show me your M e g h w a n s h i , P r o f . S u d h a children said that such films should lathi, I will show you my film/ you Chaudhary, Jayesh Parmar from Una be shown in schools also. Mention call me names, I will sing you a song. ❑ Debate is Vital for Change, says Jodhpur Professor Suspended in the Latest Nationalism Controversy Rajshree Ranawat was the organiser of an event on February 2 at which JNU professor Nivedita Menon allegedly made anti-national remarks. Shreya Roy Chowdhury Rajshree Ranawat, a professor at the said. Dispirited by the reaction to an break and I said that if anyone had Jai Narain Vyas University in event she worked so hard on, she any doubts, those could be sorted Jodhpur, is afraid for her safety. After spoke to Scroll.in about the over tea. In any case, what Professor being suspended on Thursday for an controversy, the conference and the Menon said was her stand on the allegedly anti-national speech that university. issue. How is the organiser was made at an event she organised E d i t e d e x c e r p t s f r o m t h e responsible for that? on February 2, the 39-year-old interview: What impact will this controversy Ranawat is wary of returning to The university has, in its show- have on the academic atmosphere campus. cause notice to you, asked why of the university? She has run into trouble for putting you invited a controversial figure There has always been a sense of together a conference at which like Professor Nivedita Menon, fear here. But even in such an Jawaharlal Nehru University whether you knew what speech atmosphere, someone was bold professor Nivedita Menon is alleged she was going to deliver, and if you enough to try and organise a large, to have said that Kashmir was not an introduced her as someone known interdisciplinary conference. How integral part of India and that soldiers for “anti-national speeches”. How that turned out has been very worked for their livelihood and not the did you respond? demoralising, not just for me but for nation – charges Menon has denied. I told them I did not know she was all those who wanted change – more In the aftermath of Menon's lecture, controversial. I knew her only as a debate, discussion and research. there were protests and dharnas by political scientist and the conference I To be honest, I was expecting some students – especially members of the had organised was inter-disciplinary appreciation for stepping forward. Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, in nature. It was on “History The university had sought proposals the student wing of the Rashtriya Reconstrued Though Literature: and I had sent mine in July. It was Swayamsevak Sangh. Several Nation, Identity and Culture”, and we approved and we started work then. I police complaints were filed. The wanted people from as many wrote to dozens of writers and backlash forced Ranawat to leave disciplines and political backgrounds academics inviting them as resource Jodhpur and seek shelter with her as possible. Also, Professor Menon persons because I wanted our family in Jaipur. She returned to had been invited as a resource students to be exposed to the best Jodhpur on Tuesday, only to receive person. We do not check the papers brains in the country. Many of them the suspension order from the of resource persons or ask for declined because the event was in university's governing body two days abstracts the way we do for regular Jodhpur. Now I am being punished later. paper readers. And I certainly did not for showing initiative. The institution has also constituted introduce her as someone known to How will things change if there is no an inquiry committee, which is deliver anti-national speeches. Who debate between people from different reportedly looking into “terminating does that? subjects and ideologies? After this, her services”, and has served her Did you expect trouble after the people will not dare to come forward, with a show-cause notice. conference? especially women. Ranawat studied in Ajmer, did her Frankly, no. I was very busy, so I did Why is it more difficult for women? research at the Jodhpur University in not even hear the entire speech. But I It is generally very difficult to do 2002-'03, and taught in various do know that when Professor Menon anything. Also, the atmosphere in the colleges in Rajasthan before finally was speaking, no one interrupted university was not very conducive to taking up her current position at the and the audience was listening with proper academic work. There was Jai Narain Vyas University in 2013. rapt attention. She even said that already a lot of turmoil over the 2013 Organising the conference, titled what she was expressing was her appointments – there were “History Reconstrued through opinion and that the audience had the allegations that some were not Literature: Nation, Identity, Culture”, right to disagree. It was only later that legal – and there were even arrests on February 1-2 was a dream that a professor and a couple of students of teaching faculty. One of the quickly turned into a nightmare, she asked questions. It was time for a t e a c h e r s i n v o l v e d i n t h e

PUCL BULLETIN, APRIL 2017 17 conference was arrested the day They say this controversy should not place but do not declare support b e f o r e i t . E v e n i n t h e s e have happened and ask the same openly. circumstances, we managed to put a question I do: if a resource person Feb 18, 2017 conference together. says something, how is the organiser ( C o u r t e s y s c r o l l . i n l : Do you have the support of your responsible for it? How can I possibly https://scroll.in/article/829656/debat colleagues and students? control what a senior professor will e-is-vital-for-change-says-jodhpur- Students, especially those who say? Among my colleagues, too, professor-suspended-in-the-latest- attended the talk, are supportive. some back me. They come to my nationalism-controversy) ❑ Exemplary Violence Satish Deshpande, Prof. Sociology, Delhi University A second way of understanding the world lacks ideas or intelligence, but 1960s and early '70s, and Bihar in the Ramjas College events would be to that it is permeated by power mid-1970s and 1980s. In Bengal, an compare the pattern they are a part of relations. In the real world, the ruling established Congress regime was with similar patterns in the past. ideas are those that are dear to the being challenged by a then Unlike doctors of medicine, doctors ruling classes and dominant groups. ascendant CPM, itself facing a stiff of philosophy love complications. Of course, power relations extend to challenge from Marxist-Leninist “Too simple” is a devastating put- the university context as well. In fact, groups popularly known as down in the academic world peopled all universities — including the ones Naxalites. In Bihar, the extended by PhDs. But sometimes even we perceived as radical — are, for the turmoil of Jayaprakash Narayan's academics encounter an issue that is most part, supported by and in turn Sampoorna Kranti transitioned into so utterly, undeniably simple that it is support, the existing power structure. the Lalu Prasad era of Yadav impossible to complicate. Violence This has been the historical condition dominance. The latter case should be has no place in a university. That is it, for their survival as predominantly of particular interest to the Modi and that is all — no room here for any state-sponsored institutions. regime. Despite being one of the of the ifs, buts, or on-the-other-hands At the same time, however, the very most astute politicians of our times, that we are always eager to invoke. design of the modern university Lalu Prasad made the historic requires that it set aside some space blunder of deliberately destroying the Ramjas College Protest: Virender for cultivating and professing university system in Bihar because it Sehwag Tweets Following Kargil unconventional, dissenting or radical was monopolised by his upper caste Martyr's Daughter's Anti-ABVP Post ideas and questions. Paradoxically, it enemies. He failed to recognise the Any discussion of what happened at is this small island of intellectual peculiar fragility of the university as a Ramjas College and Delhi University autonomy that defines an otherwise liberal institution that is easy to pull on February 21 and 22 has to begin subservient and conventional down but extremely hard to rebuild. with a complete and categorical institution. If even this island is Returning to the immediate context, it condemnation of the violence that violently coerced into subservience, is clear that the most chilling aspect has been displayed on social media the university can no longer play its of the violence of last week is its and television screens. Students — crucial symbolic role in modern deliberate and strategic nature. The and even teachers — were beaten, society as the great exception to the stone throwing and manhandling of hit with bricks, pulled by the hair and worldly rule of might is right. students on the afternoon of comprehensively assaulted. Many of How, then, do we understand the February 21 happened in spite of the the injured had to be taken to events of February 21 and 22 at fact that the main demand of the hospital. Journalists were also Ramjas College in Delhi University? ABVP — namely, the exclusion of targeted, often deliberately. An entire One way is to see them as the Umar Khalid from the seminar — had neighbourhood was terrorised over culmination of an ongoing process of already been conceded by the several hours. Contrary to filmy regime change, triggered by the college authorities. The more tradition, the police arrived early, but landslide victory of the BJP in 2014. extensive mayhem of February 22 were so ineffectual as to invite As is well known, the ABVP and its was a pre-planned effort to disrupt a accusations of complicity. And all of parent organisations have been proposed silent march in protest this happened because of a seminar involved in a series of confrontations against the censorship imposed by or, if the defenders of this violence across several universities in the past the ABVP. This unnecessary and are to be believed, merely because of two years, the best known of which excessive violence can only be two specific invitees. have been in Hyderabad, Allahabad, explained if it was intended to be Violence and intimidation negate the JNU, Jodhpur and now Delhi exemplary, as a lesson for all very idea of the university and there is University. The overall effort on the universities. If so, it seems to be no cause large enough to justify them part of the RSS-BJP-ABVP combine working. The stormtroopers of the — not subaltern classes nor is to leverage their new-found state ABVP have sent shock waves oppressed castes, or as in this case, power to enforce their entry into, or through the academic world, aggrieved patriots. The university consolidate their hold over, university i n t i m i d a t i n g e v e n l i b e r a l cannot afford to accommodate politics. administrators and faculty into self- violence precisely because it is A second way of understanding the censoring themselves and their meant to be an arena for the battle of Ramjas College events would be to students. ideas. This is the sense in which the compare the pattern they are a part of The irony is that these methods may university is indeed a privileged with similar patterns in the past. Two win some battles, but will certainly space set apart from the everyday instances that come to mind are lose the war. If the intention is to wrest world. It is not that the rest of the those of West Bengal in the late the university from the enemy, then it

PUCL BULLETIN, APRIL 2017 18 is imperative to recognise that kill the university ensuring that what prompted by the high stakes that capturing it makes sense only if it can is ultimately won is but a shell. The academics like myself have in the do for you what you think it has done organisers of the seminar which university as a liberal institution — for the enemy. But as a powerful yet triggered these events can be justly and little else? I would, of course, say strangely vulnerable institution, the proud of their prescient title — “No”, but more credible answers can university is a classic instance of a “Cultures of Protest”. only come from others located situation where the means matter as There remains an unanswered elsewhere. much as the end. Violent means will question: Are such dire predictions Courtesy: February 27, 2017 Indian Express ❑ Closing of the University Pratap Bhanu Mehta President, CPR Delhi As the right stamps itself, central system. An organised pattern is university system is now coming to universities will see politicisation emerging. Use the “JNU pretext”, bite us. For those who have that destroyed state universities. as it is now called, to unleash the engaged with the history of higher The moral sickness and thuggery ABVP or, in some cases, university education in India, this phase is on display in the aftermath of administrations, to harass, relatively mild yet. But it has deep Gurmehar Kaur's brave Twitter post intimidate and engage in violence. echoes of the 1970s. is too nauseating for intellectual Once the spark is lit, there will, of We forget that from the late-'60s to analysis. The patterns are course, be other perpetrators of the '80s, many university depressingly familiar. Young violence who will get into the mix, campuses were politicised to the w o m e n c a n n o t e x p r e s s which will then also allow the ABVP point of becoming dysfunctional. In independent political views without to play victim. My sense is that the many cases, there was sheer being subject to misogyny, violence point of all this is not captured thuggery. But the broader and political intimidation. This form simply by the idea of suppressing politicisation of universities had of casual brutality may almost have dissent. The ideas and people four large undercurrents. First was the character of a social pathology sought to be being suppressed get the demand for vernacularisation. but it is also empowered by a total more publicity: That is the paradox Almost all the great national lack of political outrage. An of modern censorship. It is rather to universities across the nation, from otherwise prudish culture seems create conflict itself. Conflict is used Rajasthan to Osmania, were quite comfortable with open talk of to mobilise political support around provincialised and became rape threats as an instrument of nationalism. Conflict is convenient regional universities. Materially, politics. because it allows everyone to this was a demand for local Second, Kashmir remains the present themselves as victims. By representation. But culturally, it was mirror in which Indian nationalism a strange alchemy all of this will end a revolt against a national elite dare not look itself in the face. It is up with the “Right” presenting itself which regional identities sought to still nearly impossible to have a as the victim. So the core issues of supplant. That sub-nationalism holistic, free and frank discussion violence, appropriateness of may or may not have made the on Kashmir in all its aspects: From institutional norms and misogyny universities more inclusive in the state oppression to militancy to the will soon be forgotten. right way. But they, for the most plight of the Pandits. How much It is not that difficult to make the part, destroyed intellectualism. intent there is to suppress all case that universities have Most nationalism is poisonous for dissent is an open question. But betrayed their own principles very intellectualism. The second trend Kashmir is an issue on which the often. But the tragedy is that was a shift in politics. With the polity suppression of dissent wears the instead of restoring those principles becoming more deeply politicised garb of popular imprimatur. With and healing the university, we want in the '60s, with the Congress other universities cancelling events to use it as a pretext for more struggling to perform the mediating on Kashmir, this trend is likely to control and destruction. Indian function, many new political groups continue. Third, there is the sheer universities long ceased being saw their opportunity. The Left institutional bloody mindedness. If spaces for a genuinely liberal wanted to displace the Congress our cabinet members spent half as education. The professoriate for and there were pitched and violent much sincere moral outrage the most part, in the eyes of the battles, of which Calcutta was the acknowledging the complexities of public, cuts a sorry figure; most extreme example. The third the Kashmir issue as they spend on university leadership has, in most was an economic crisis that made fuelling conflicts on campuses we instances, become a postbox for student politics the most potent would be far better off. the government. The destruction means of social mobility. Finally, Finally, there is the organised that governments of all political there was the Emergency and the attempt to delegitimise what parties have wrought on the spectre of authoritarianism that remains of the public university

PUCL BULLETIN, APRIL 2017 19 Date of Pub.: 27-28 March, 2017 deepened the politicisation of the Indian campuses, the fact that university. many students on these campuses This settled into some kind of feel alienated from intellectual life, equilibrium, but at the cost of most for linguistic or social reasons, state-level universities becoming makes this a resonant cry. The hollow shells. There was also more r e l a t i v e o p t i m i s m t h a t of a sense in the students that characterised a lot of Indian disruption was harmful. But now the campuses over the last couple of old trends are returning in three decades, about jobs may also be ways. Central universities will now coming to an end. Perhaps that experience processes similar to optimism was always misplaced. those that destroyed state But imagine a scenario where universities. There has been a shift students are no longer confident in the ruling politics. So the ABVP about their job prospects. What Founder : Jaya Prakash Narayan will use state patronage to violently might that do to university politics? President : Ravi Kiran Jain oust the incumbents, especially the And finally, the fourth element: The Left. And where the Left has shards spectre of authoritarianism will General Secretary : V. Suresh of power in Kerala and Bengal, it deepen the politicisation. Treasurer : Surendra Kumar responds in kind. This move is also Politicisation can be a good Vice-Presidents : Binayak Sen, congruent with BJP's project of teachable moment. The last wave G. Saraswathi (Ms.), N.D. Pancholi, creating an ideological state did wonders for many political P.B. D’sa, Radhakant Saxena, apparatus, like the Left did. careers. But it ensured that the Sanjay Parikh, Vinay Kantha. Second, just like regional conversation about universities Secretaries : Kavita Srivastava (Ms.), politicians and forces managed to became about everything except Nishant Akhilesh, Rohit Prajapati, portray the universities in their the university, its practices and its Sudha Bharadwaj (Ms.), states as elitist, exclusionary and pedagogy. The bubble of social Vandana Misra (Ms.), YJ Rajendra out of touch with cultural identities, forces and the organised way in Organising Secretaries : Ajay T.G., the BJP and ABVP will launch an which the BJP will continue the Arjun Sheoran, Nishat Hussain (Ms.), assault on what they regard as time-honoured practice of Ramashray Pd. Singh. elitist, privileged, culturally distant assaulting public universities, will cosmopolitanism. Nationalism is once again ensure a corrosion of the perfect wedge by which to liberal and intellectual values and highlight this distance. Growing up, just plain decency. the first political slogan I ever heard Link: in the then-excellent Himachal http://indianexpress.com/article/op University was “Himachal for inion/columns/closing-of-the- Himachalis”. Now there will be the university-4551570/ search for the “authentic” Indian to Courtesy The Indian Express ,March represent the Indian universities. 3, 2017 ❑ The complicated sociology of

The PUCL Bulletin of May 2017 will be on the issue Violations of Worker's Rights and Struggles Combating it.

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PUCL BULLETIN, APRIL 2017 20