We, the undersigned Faculty and Students from the O.P Jindal Global University (JGU) in our individual capacity, condemn the police crackdown in Jawaharlal Nehru University- Delhi(JNU) and the apathy towards JNU demonstrated by State actors through their coercive actions.

It is our firm belief that Universities are places for unhindered engagement with ideas, which is essential for a holistic education. This becomes meaningless without space for dissent, critique, and engagement with alternative ideologies. Academic spaces such as universitiesrequire academic freedom, and taking such freedom seriously warrants space for ideological engagement with the world. In this stead, we are of the opinion that the charges levied on the President of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Student Union (JNUSU) are uncalled for and contrary to the values of liberty and freedom protected by The Constitution of India. The actions of the police and views of senior ministers of the central government fail to appreciate the importance of allowing students to express their opinions freely. If any opinion is found to be irresponsible or distasteful, it should be countered by contrary opinions and not State coercion.

It is imperative to understand that under the Indian constitutional framework, freedom of speech is the rule, and the reasonable restrictions that follow themare it merely exceptions. It is unfortunate that senior members of the government, the police, and many sections of the media are miserably failing to appreciate our constitutional scheme.They rely on colonial laws and ideas that were employed to curb free thought and expression which were cherished by the leaders of India’s struggle for independence many of whom were drafters of the Constitution of India.Brandishing JNU as an institution and its students, as terrorists and anti-nationals is a reflection of the impoverished understanding of constitutional values that such sections of the society hold.We find such brandishing to becondemnable.

The turn of events at JNU highlight the need to seriously reconsider the notions of nation, nationalism,Stateand cultural diversity. Indian society has had a history of mature engagement with such ideas. The current handling of affairs in JNU by State actors however betrays their ignorance of such well-established intellectual and political traditions in Indian society. Indeed, it goes unsaid that the idea of India being a multi-national State is staple fare in intellectual debates across India and the world. The coercive State response to the events at JNU not only runs contrary to India being a mature democracy capable of nurturing diverse ideologies, but alsocounter-productive to the constitutional guarantee of freedom of speech and expression.

Along with eminent members of the legal profession, we too are of the view that the sedition charges imposed upon the students is without any substance, and contrary to the law on sedition laid down by the Supreme Court of India. Indeed, the law of sedition is in itself a problematic colonial remnant that needs to be repealed. We demand the immediate release of the students currently in custody. We also condemn the attack on the teachers and students of JNU and journalists in the Patiala Court House, and urge the State to take action on the aggressors immediately. The events at Patiala House are another reminder to the state of falling standards of ethical conduct in our society.It is also a reminder of the state’s repeated failure to bring about police reforms in India to protect the basic right to bodily integrity and security of its citizens. Failure to understand the gravity of police inaction in courts is an alarming signal for the failure of the state performing its essential functions.

We stand in solidarity with our fellow teachers and students of JNU and hope for the spate of affairs to return to normalcy at the earliest. For those who did raise alleged slogans against the unity of India, we respect their right to express their views and appeal to state actors and society at large to engage with them through speech and criticism, rather than by coercion and abuse.

Signatories:

1. Kanika Dabra, Student, Jindal School of Liberal Arts and Humanities
2. Sukaina Husain, Student, Jindal School of Liberal Arts and Humanities
3. Saloni, Student, Jindal School of Liberal Arts and Humanities
4. Alwyn Lobo, Student, Jindal Global Business School
5. Sabarish Suresh, Student, Jindal Global Law School
6. Madhavi Achaiah, Student, Jindal Global Law School
7. Ishani Sharma, Student, Jindal Global Law School
8. Rohini Sud, Student, Jindal Global Law School
9. Jyoti Goyal, Student, Jindal Global Law School
10. Avi Srivastava , Student, Jindal Global Law School
11. Misria Shaikh Ali, Student, Jindal School of Government and Public Policy
12. Vijayant Singh, Student, Jindal Global Law School
13. SERUPALLY RAJESH, Student, Jindal School of Government and Public Policy
14. Sajal Mendiratta, Student, Jindal Global Law School
15. Shourya Bari, Student, Jindal Global Law School
16. Yash Sharma, Student, Jindal Global Law School
17. Pranav Kapoor, Student, Jindal global law school
18. Mansi Sheth, Student, Jindal Global Law School
19. Avani Joshi, Student, Jindal Global Law School
20. Pallavi Laungani, Student, Jindal School of Government and Public Policy
21. Shivakshi Bhattacharya, Student, Jindal Global Law School
22. Prachi Sharma Student- Jindal Global Law School
23. Pushpa devendra, student, Jindal School of International Affairs
24. Karanraj Bhatia, Student, Jindal Global Law School
25. ASHWATHEJ, Student, Jindal Global Law School
26. Saurabh Kaushik, Student, Jindal School of International Affairs
27. Pritam Baruah Associate Professor, Jindal Global Law School
28. Mitali, Student, Jindal Global Law School
29. Srivatsan M, Student – Jindal School of Liberal Arts and Humanities
30. Titiksha Mohanty, Student, Jindal Global Law School
31. Rashmi, Student, Jindal Global Law School
32. Ajita Sharma, Jindal Global Law School (Alumni)
33. Shikhar Tyagi, Student, Jindal Global Law School
34. WAJAHAT AHMAD, Visiting Faculty, Jindal Global Business School
35. Eshani Singh, Student, Jindal Global Law School
36. PALLAVI KISHORE ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, Jindal Global Law School
37. Nishita , Student, Jindal School of International Affairs
38. Anush, Student, Jindal Global Law School
39. Abhishek, Student
40. Joanna Baretto, Student, Jindal Global Law School
41. Chetan Patil, Student, Jindal School of International Affairs
42. Alliya Anjum, Senior Research Associate, Jindal Global Law School
43. Rakesh Ankit, Associate Professor, Jindal Global Law School
44. Mihira Sood, Assistant Professor, Jindal Global Law School
45. Samiksha Pednekar, Student, Jindal Globa Law School
46. Sagnik Dutta, Senior Research Associate, Jindal Global Law School.
47. Swagato Sarkar, Associate Professor, Jindal School of Government and Public Policy
48. Vinitika Vij, Student, Jindal Global Law School
49. Parvaz, Student, Jindal Global Law School
50. Faiz Tajuddin, Assistant Professor, Jindal Global Law School
51. Carthik Venkat Balasubramanian, Student, Jindal Global Law School
52. Aiman Singh Kler, Alumni, Jindal Global Law School
53. Anshika, Student, Jindal Global Law School
54. Amala Dasarathi, Student, Jindal Global Law School
55. Shruti Agarwal, Student, Jindal Global Law School
56. Niranjan Sankar Rao, Student. Jindal Global Law School
57. Ahonaa Roy, Assistant Professor, Jindal School of Public Policy,
58. Shivprasad Swaminathan, Associate Professor, Jindal Global Law School
59. Nisha Nair, Research Associate, Jindal Global Law School
60. Jhuma Sen, Assistant Professor, Jindal Global Law School
61. Sandeshika Sharma, Associate Professor, Jindal School of Government and Public Policy
62. Krithika Ashok, Senior Research Associate, Jindal Global Law School
63. Partha Saha, Assistant Professor, Jindal Global Law School
64. Mohsin Khan, Assistant Professor, Jindal School of International Affairs
65. Sannoy Das, Senior Research Associate, Jindal Global Law School
66. Deepanshu Mohan, Assistant Professor, Jindal School of International Affairs
67. Rohini Sen, Assistant Professor, Jindal Global Law School
68. Ish Maini, Student, Jindal Global Law School
69. Zara Hasnain, Student , Jindal School of Government and Public Policy
70. Deblina Dey, Research Associate, Jindal Global Law School
71. Satya Prateek, Assistant Professor, Jindal Global Law School
72. Rahul Jayaram , Assistant Professor, Jindal School of Liberal Arts and Humanities
73. Suhavi Arya, Student, Jindal Global Law School
74. Bonny John, Student, Jindal School of Government and Public Policy
75. O.S, Student, Jindal School of Government and Public Policy.
76. Amrita Sharma, Senior Research Associate, Jindal Global Law School
77. Prashant Iyengar. Assistant Professor , Jindal Global Law School
78. Gitanjali Surendran, Associate Professor, Jindal Global Law School
79. Gorang Goyal, Student, Jindal Global Law School
80. Upasana Mahanta, Assistant Professor, Jindal Global Law School
81. Samrat Sinha, Assistant Professor, Jindal School of International Affairs.
82. Aishwarya Singh, Student, Jindal Global Law School
83. Meenakshi Ramkumar, Student, Jindal Global Law School
84. Ishu, Student, Jindal Global Law School
85. Riina Ylinen, Student, Jindal School of Government and Public Policy
86. Ammarah Khalid, Student, Jindal Global Law School
87. Aiswarya Pinisetti, Student, Jindal Global Law School
88. Manyata Misra, Student, Jindal Global Law School
89. Anamika Srivastava, Assistant Professor, Jindal Global Law School
90. Rohini Thyagarajan, Student, Jindal Global Law School
91. Haridya Iyengar, Student, Jindal Global Law School
92. Kavana Ramaswamy, Senior Research Associate, Jindal Global Law School
93. Debdatta Dobe, Senior Research Associate, Jindal Global Law School
94. Nirmal John, Student, Jindal Global Law School
95. Sameena Dalwai, Associate Professor, Jindal Global Law School
96. Ratna Kapur, Professor of Law, Jindal Global Law School
97. Alik Poonani, Student, Jindal School of Government and Public Policy
98. Siddharth Raja , Visiting Associate Professor , Jindal Global Law School
99. Lahar Santra, Research Associate, Jindal School of Government and Public Policy
100. Jayani Bonnerjee, Assistant Professor, Jindal School of Liberal Arts and Humanities
101. Mandavi Jayakar, Assistant Professor, Jindal Global Law School
102. Mercy Deborah, Research Associate, Jindal Global Law School
103. Arjun Puri, Research Associate, Jindal School of Liberal Arts and Humanities
104. Anuranjan Sethi, Assistant Professor, Jindal Global Law School
105. Dipika Jain, Associate Professor, Jindal Global Law School
106. Yasodhara Rakshit, Research Associate, Jindal School of Liberal Arts and Humanities
107. Weatherly Schwab, Assistant Professor, Jindal Global Law School
108. Vedaant, Student, Jindal Global Law School
109. Mohammed Shahrukh, Student, Jindal Global Law School
110. Snigdha Mishra, Student, Jindal Global Law School
111. Porus Jain, Student, Jindal School of Liberal Arts and Humanities
112. Alina Merin Mathew, Student, Jindal Global Law School
113. Manasa Ramakrishna Student, Jindal Global Law School
114. Ashish Bharadwaj , Assistant Professor, Jindal Global Law School
115. Vedaant Tiwary, Student, Jindal Global Law School
116. Himanshu Malik, Student, Jindal Global Law School
117. Akshat Agrawal, Student, Jindal Global Law School
118. Eesha Bakshi, Student , Jindal Global Law School
119. Dhruv Yadav, Student, Jindal Global Law School
120. Himabindu, Student, Jindal School of International Affairs
121. Palak Sehgal, Student, Jindal Global Law School
122. Yuhina Sangha, Student, Jindal Global Law School
123. Uday Vir Garg , Student, Jindal Global Law School
124. Ayush Jain, Student, Jindal Global Law School
125. Shlok Goel, Student, Jindal Global Law School
126. Shubhra, Student, Jindal Global Law School
127. Sidhanth, Student, Jindal Global Business School
128. Aditi singh kashyap, student, Jindal Global Law School
129. Sunoj, Student, Jindal Global Law School
130. Simran Sharma, Student, Jindal Global Law School
131. Raya Sarkar, Student, Jindal Global Law School
132. Sanjay E, Student, Jindal Global Law Schol
133. Surabhi Gusain, Student, Jindal Global Law School
134. Samykya, Student, Jindal Global Law School
135. Vatsala Khandelwal, Student, Jindal Global Law School
136. Ishita Sharma, Research Associate, JINDAL GLOBAL LAW SCHOOL
137. Aditi Khemani Student, JINDAL GLOBAL LAW SCHOOL
138. Kavya Kartik Student, JINDAL GLOBAL LAW SCHOOL
139. Swati Malik, Research Associate, JINDAL GLOBAL LAW SCHOOL
140. Viren Bansal Student, JINDAL GLOBAL LAW SCHOOL
141. Jasmine Hsu, Research Associate, JINDAL GLOBAL BUSINESS SCHOOL
142. Brian Henry Moses, Student JINDAL GLOBAL LAW SCHOOL
143. Mohd Tanweer Alam, Student, JINDAL SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC POLICY
144. Didon Misri, Student, JINDAL GLOBAL LAW SCHOOL
145. Mathew John Associate Professor     JINDAL GLOBAL LAW SCHOOL
146. Ashrita Prasad Kotha, Assistant Professor, JINDAL GLOBAL LAW SCHOOL
147. Pranav Narang, Student, JINDAL GLOBAL LAW SCHOOL
148. Kshitiz Rao, Student, JINDAL GLOBAL LAW SCHOOL