New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has cancelled permission for a discussion on August 10 centred on a book by its former student Umar Khalid, citing the alleged withholding of complete information about the event.
The discussion was scheduled to be held at the School of Social Sciences-1 (SSS-1) on the occasion of World Indigenous Peoples Day. The event was to focus on the book Fractured Communities: Adivasi Histories and the Politics of Power.
According to the university administration, permission for the auditorium had initially been granted by the Dean but was subsequently cancelled after the administration found that complete details about the programme had not been disclosed.
The proposed panel included Professor Prabhu Mahapatra, Uma Chakravarti, Shuddhabrata Sengupta, Harsh Mander and Banojotsna.
JNUSU opposes cancellation
The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) has criticised the administration’s decision, calling it arbitrary and authoritarian. The union alleged that the university was attempting to restrict academic discussion.
JNUSU said the book deals with Adivasi histories and struggles concerning jal, jungle and zameen. The union also accused the administration of adopting double standards and urged students to attend the programme.
Following the cancellation of the venue, the student union announced that it would hold the discussion in the open outside the SSS-2 building.
The university has maintained that the cancellation was linked to the disclosure of information regarding the event, while the student union has framed the issue as a question of academic freedom and space for discussion.
