The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) is as nationalist as any other university in India, said the first-ever female vice-chancellor of the central varsity which has recently witnessed a brawl between two student groups during Ram Navami celebrations.
Talking to News18 exclusively, JNU’s first alumnus to have become a VC, Santishree Dhuipudi Pandit said the recent incident was “unfortunate" where “passions took over rationale".
“I spoke to the agitated students on both sides and promised that there is zero tolerance towards violence, and we want students to have all rituals because I believe in diversity and difference. It has to be accepted and celebrated," the JNU VC told News18.
In video | JNU VC in an EXCLUSIVE interview with News18
“I am for diversity. I believe that there should be multiple narratives, not just the left hegemonic narrative. The left also understands that things in India are changing," said the vice-chancellor.
“There might be a few who may not agree with me but as a VC I can promise that not only there is space for the left but also there is also space for other narratives. JNU is one of the greatest institutions that modern India has built and we want to move ahead from this with continuity and change because we have to change with the contemporary times. We are universal but we are nationalists first," she said.
We are universal but we are nationalists first… Left also understands that things are changing.
“Students are here to study and are committed to academics, there is always a fringe. JNU gets a lot of attention more than other universities," she said.
The VC added that “JNU is a secular institution and everyone here is a JNUite first and the other identities come in later." While saying that violence of any kind is not accepted at the JNU campus, she also added that students too do not want violence.
“JNU is as nationalistic as any other university. We are free and diverse. JNU is a battleground for ideas," said the VC. “Most of the students think that freedom has very little responsibility because in JNU you can get anything and you don’t get into trouble because we allow student activism, it is a part of our academic atmosphere, but when they break the boundaries, then it creates problems," added the VC.
Most of the students think that freedom has very little responsibility because in JNU you can get anything and you don’t get into trouble because we allow student activism, it is a part of our academic atmosphere, but when they break the boundaries, then it creates problems
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