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:
- Kanika Dabra, Student, Jindal School of Liberal Arts and Humanities
- Sukaina Husain, Student, Jindal School of Liberal Arts and Humanities
- Saloni, Student, Jindal School of Liberal Arts and Humanities
- Alwyn Lobo, Student, Jindal Global Business School
- Sabarish Suresh, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Madhavi Achaiah, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Ishani Sharma, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Rohini Sud, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Jyoti Goyal, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Avi Srivastava , Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Misria Shaikh Ali, Student, Jindal School of Government and Public Policy
- Vijayant Singh, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- SERUPALLY RAJESH, Student, Jindal School of Government and Public Policy
- Sajal Mendiratta, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Shourya Bari, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Yash Sharma, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Pranav Kapoor, Student, Jindal global law school
- Mansi Sheth, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Avani Joshi, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Pallavi Laungani, Student, Jindal School of Government and Public Policy
- Shivakshi Bhattacharya, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Prachi Sharma Student- Jindal Global Law School
- Pushpa devendra, student, Jindal School of International Affairs
- Karanraj Bhatia, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- ASHWATHEJ, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Saurabh Kaushik, Student, Jindal School of International Affairs
- Pritam Baruah Associate Professor, Jindal Global Law School
- Mitali, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Srivatsan M, Student – Jindal School of Liberal Arts and Humanities
- Titiksha Mohanty, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Rashmi, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Ajita Sharma, Jindal Global Law School (Alumni)
- Shikhar Tyagi, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- WAJAHAT AHMAD, Visiting Faculty, Jindal Global Business School
- Eshani Singh, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- PALLAVI KISHORE ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, Jindal Global Law School
- Nishita , Student, Jindal School of International Affairs
- Anush, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Abhishek, Student
- Joanna Baretto, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Chetan Patil, Student, Jindal School of International Affairs
- Alliya Anjum, Senior Research Associate, Jindal Global Law School
- Rakesh Ankit, Associate Professor, Jindal Global Law School
- Mihira Sood, Assistant Professor, Jindal Global Law School
- Samiksha Pednekar, Student, Jindal Globa Law School
- Sagnik Dutta, Senior Research Associate, Jindal Global Law School.
- Swagato Sarkar, Associate Professor, Jindal School of Government and Public Policy
- Vinitika Vij, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Parvaz, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Faiz Tajuddin, Assistant Professor, Jindal Global Law School
- Carthik Venkat Balasubramanian, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Aiman Singh Kler, Alumni, Jindal Global Law School
- Anshika, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Amala Dasarathi, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Shruti Agarwal, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Niranjan Sankar Rao, Student. Jindal Global Law School
- Ahonaa Roy, Assistant Professor, Jindal School of Public Policy,
- Shivprasad Swaminathan, Associate Professor, Jindal Global Law School
- Nisha Nair, Research Associate, Jindal Global Law School
- Jhuma Sen, Assistant Professor, Jindal Global Law School
- Sandeshika Sharma, Associate Professor, Jindal School of Government and Public Policy
- Krithika Ashok, Senior Research Associate, Jindal Global Law School
- Partha Saha, Assistant Professor, Jindal Global Law School
- Mohsin Khan, Assistant Professor, Jindal School of International Affairs
- Sannoy Das, Senior Research Associate, Jindal Global Law School
- Deepanshu Mohan, Assistant Professor, Jindal School of International Affairs
- Rohini Sen, Assistant Professor, Jindal Global Law School
- Ish Maini, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Zara Hasnain, Student , Jindal School of Government and Public Policy
- Deblina Dey, Research Associate, Jindal Global Law School
- Satya Prateek, Assistant Professor, Jindal Global Law School
- Rahul Jayaram , Assistant Professor, Jindal School of Liberal Arts and Humanities
- Suhavi Arya, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Bonny John, Student, Jindal School of Government and Public Policy
- O.S, Student, Jindal School of Government and Public Policy.
- Amrita Sharma, Senior Research Associate, Jindal Global Law School
- Prashant Iyengar. Assistant Professor , Jindal Global Law School
- Gitanjali Surendran, Associate Professor, Jindal Global Law School
- Gorang Goyal, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Upasana Mahanta, Assistant Professor, Jindal Global Law School
- Samrat Sinha, Assistant Professor, Jindal School of International Affairs.
- Aishwarya Singh, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Meenakshi Ramkumar, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Ishu, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Riina Ylinen, Student, Jindal School of Government and Public Policy
- Ammarah Khalid, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Aiswarya Pinisetti, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Manyata Misra, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Anamika Srivastava, Assistant Professor, Jindal Global Law School
- Rohini Thyagarajan, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Haridya Iyengar, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Kavana Ramaswamy, Senior Research Associate, Jindal Global Law School
- Debdatta Dobe, Senior Research Associate, Jindal Global Law School
- Nirmal John, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Sameena Dalwai, Associate Professor, Jindal Global Law School
- Ratna Kapur, Professor of Law, Jindal Global Law School
- Alik Poonani, Student, Jindal School of Government and Public Policy
- Siddharth Raja , Visiting Associate Professor , Jindal Global Law School
- Lahar Santra, Research Associate, Jindal School of Government and Public Policy
- Jayani Bonnerjee, Assistant Professor, Jindal School of Liberal Arts and Humanities
- Mandavi Jayakar, Assistant Professor, Jindal Global Law School
- Mercy Deborah, Research Associate, Jindal Global Law School
- Arjun Puri, Research Associate, Jindal School of Liberal Arts and Humanities
- Anuranjan Sethi, Assistant Professor, Jindal Global Law School
- Dipika Jain, Associate Professor, Jindal Global Law School
- Yasodhara Rakshit, Research Associate, Jindal School of Liberal Arts and Humanities
- Weatherly Schwab, Assistant Professor, Jindal Global Law School
- Vedaant, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Mohammed Shahrukh, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Snigdha Mishra, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Porus Jain, Student, Jindal School of Liberal Arts and Humanities
- Alina Merin Mathew, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Manasa Ramakrishna Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Ashish Bharadwaj , Assistant Professor, Jindal Global Law School
- Vedaant Tiwary, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Himanshu Malik, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Akshat Agrawal, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Eesha Bakshi, Student , Jindal Global Law School
- Dhruv Yadav, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Himabindu, Student, Jindal School of International Affairs
- Palak Sehgal, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Yuhina Sangha, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Uday Vir Garg , Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Ayush Jain, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Shlok Goel, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Shubhra, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Sidhanth, Student, Jindal Global Business School
- Aditi singh kashyap, student, Jindal Global Law School
- Sunoj, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Simran Sharma, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Raya Sarkar, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Sanjay E, Student, Jindal Global Law Schol
- Surabhi Gusain, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Samykya, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Vatsala Khandelwal, Student, Jindal Global Law School
- Ishita Sharma, Research Associate, JINDAL GLOBAL LAW SCHOOL
- Aditi Khemani Student, JINDAL GLOBAL LAW SCHOOL
- Kavya Kartik Student, JINDAL GLOBAL LAW SCHOOL
- Swati Malik, Research Associate, JINDAL GLOBAL LAW SCHOOL
- Viren Bansal Student, JINDAL GLOBAL LAW SCHOOL
- Jasmine Hsu, Research Associate, JINDAL GLOBAL BUSINESS SCHOOL
- Brian Henry Moses, Student JINDAL GLOBAL LAW SCHOOL
- Mohd Tanweer Alam, Student, JINDAL SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC POLICY
- Didon Misri, Student, JINDAL GLOBAL LAW SCHOOL
- Mathew John Associate Professor JINDAL GLOBAL LAW SCHOOL
- Ashrita Prasad Kotha, Assistant Professor, JINDAL GLOBAL LAW SCHOOL
- Pranav Narang, Student, JINDAL GLOBAL LAW SCHOOL
- Kshitiz Rao, Student, JINDAL GLOBAL LAW SCHOOL