New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru University has fenced off a section of its administrative block that was named “Freedom Square” after becoming a site for student activism during this year.
The two porches at the block, barricaded with grilles on Sunday midnight, are full of iconography symbolising tension between the administration and students over the Najeeb Ahmed case, the student who went missing from the hostel after a brawl with ABVP activists on October 14.
JNU Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar told News 18, “Grilles have been put only in the car parking area at the side entrance to the administrative block to carve out some space for office facilities as there is space crunch here.”
The move has been condemned by both the students and faculty who say the place represents their "right to dissent".
JNUSU President Mohit Pandey told News 18 that the administrative block will continue to be the site of demonstration and protests even after the administration’s bid to scuttle it. The administration tried other tactics to curb this space by parking cars and sending notices, he said.
He said the administration has issued letters instructing the JNU fraternity staging protest and public meetings, sit‐ins, hunger strike and so on near the administration building to shift their venue away from the administrative and academic buildings, and not hamper the smooth functioning of the university.
“Such activities near the Administrative building are against the University Rules (Statute 32(5) of the university) as well as the Rulings of the Honorable High Court of India in many such cases,” says a note posted on the JNU website.
“This is where we have our hunger strike, demonstrations but even after this move by the administration we will continue to agitate from this spot. There will be a protest to condemn the act and question the administration on current developments Najeeb Ahmad’s case,” Pandey said.
While saying that he is all for freedom of speech and dissent, Kumar said, “We always encourage free speech, critical thinking, debate and discussion. But here we are looking at various options to tackle space crunch at the administrative block. In this case, the parking space allotted to the university vehicles is used.”
When asked about his participation in the India Foundation’s Ideas Conclave on ‘Democracy, Development and Dissent’ in November where he had said that since he has joined JNU all he hears is “dharna”, “freedom of speech” etc.
Contrasting with his experience of visiting laboratories and solving equations at the IIT, Kumar told News18, “That was said in lighter vein. I defend the right to freedom of expression if it leads to progress. Dharnas are fine if they are lawful and peaceful.”
He further said, “Whether it is IIT Delhi or JNU, both focus on excellence. What I like about JNU is its inclusive approach. We admit students who come socially and economically weaker sections of the society and within few years they are transformed into confident, knowledgeable individuals because of high-quality education provided to them. JNU alumni are well known and serving the society in many areas.”
“We are working together to make JNU more accessible, more inclusive focusing on excellence,” he added.
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