JNUTA raises concerns over seminar on illegal migrants from Mumbai at JNU

Ahead of the Maharashtra elections, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) is once again in the spotlight due to allegations against Vice-Chancellor Professor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit. The JNU Teachers' Association (JNUTA) has condemned her for reportedly manipulating the university's ideological stance.

In Short

• JNUTA condemns JNU VC for ideological manipulation
• Controversy over seminar on 'Illegal Immigrants to Mumbai'
• Accusations of communal bias against Muslim migrants

The Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers' Association (JNUTA) has strongly condemned JNU's Vice Chancellor, Professor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit, criticising her for what they perceive as the ideological manipulation of the university.

The controversy centres on a seminar organised by Professor Pandit on November 11, 2024, titled "Illegal Immigrants to Mumbai: Analysing Socioeconomic and Political Consequences." JNUTA alleged that this event aimed to release an interim report by two scholars from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) in Mumbai, one of whom is the institute’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor.

According to a statement from the Teachers' body, they claimed that "Prior to this, the same report was released at TISS Mumbai, where Professor Pandit attended. However, the full report remains inaccessible, and the seminar's presentations have been utilised by political entities to label migration patterns as 'illegal.'"

JNUTA criticises the Vice Chancellor for endorsing a report that allegedly conflates all migrants in Mumbai as 'illegal,' despite data indicating a minimal presence of international migrants and a significant proportion of internal migrants who are not illegal.

This approach, JNUTA argues, perpetuates communal bias by labelling Muslim migrants as Bangladeshis without evidence. Professor Pandit's involvement in this portrayal is seen by JNUTA as a dereliction of her responsibilities as Vice-Chancellor.

In addition to this incident, JNUTA highlights the suppression of diverse academic activities, such as the cancellation of an event on the Palestinian crisis at JNU’s School of International Studies, which they view as part of a broader pattern of censorship.

This includes similar occurrences at other institutions, stifling discussions on critical issues. JNUTA asserts that academic freedom is essential for excellence and insists that the Vice Chancellor desist from using JNU for communal agendas. They demand respect for teachers’ rights to conduct academic seminars without fear or intimidation, advocating for an academic environment that supports the disadvantaged and upholds democratic values.