JNU is as nationalist as any other university, 'Tukde-Tukde' perception wrong, says Vice-Chancellor

New Delhi [India], April 13 : Amid the row over Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) violence, the newly-appointed Vice-Chancellor Prof Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit on Wednesday said JNU is a nationalist institution and not "Tukde-Tukde" as there is public perception.
Prof Pandit is the first women vice-chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University so far.
Speaking to ANI, Prof Pandit said, "The administration does not run the mess because the mess committee and the students decide on the menu. The administration usually, as we are a very democratic and decentralised university, can only issue guidelines, but the messes are run by the students I call upon students to maintain restraint. There are versions to the story and that is why we are having a fact-finding committee."
"Unfortunately, there were lots of outsiders who came in and that I think precipitated the issue. So, we have to look into it completely. There are multiple versions and all are looked into," she said.
"We are waiting for the proctorial enquiry which we have already ordered. There are multiple versions and all are looked into. Let everything be presented and it will be an impartial and just enquiry," she said.
The VC said JNU is one of the most liberal universities of the country.
"We have no dress or food restrictions. We see it as a personal choice and we respect every individual's personal choice. This is a central university and also a place that is a melting pot of all identities from all over the country. The administration does not even interfere with hostel administration. We are so democratic that the students run the mess and they maintain the mess," she said.
Talking about the students of JNU, she said, "I would not say the students are aggressive. I have been a student myself here. There is freedom, the right to agitate, and the right to protest. Very intelligent students come here."
Prof Pandit said many of the students come from different parts of India. First of all, when they come to Delhi, it is a new atmosphere. Many of them come from marginalised families. JNU is the one university that keeps its fees Rs 10-20.
"We are serving the poorest of the poor. They are very intelligent people who have competed with lakhs of students. All intelligent young people have strong opinions and we respect that. I appreciate diversity and dissent but let it not end up vile. There should not be violence. Gandhi ji's philosophy is non-violence," the VC said.
"We are as nationalistic as everybody. There is a fringe maybe, but that fringe is there is every university. So, I think this issue of 'raashtravaadi' thing, I think there is an injustice to JNU. JNU is not anti-nationalism," she added.
Talking about the vision on how she wants to take forward the university, she said, "I want to correct the public perception that we are the Tukde-Tukde gang. Since I have taken over, I have not seen anybody who talks about that. Young, intelligent students want to be revolutionary. It is very romantic to be revolutionary. They think they can change the world. Once they grow old, they know they cannot change it. I think they are very intelligent young people."
She said she wants to make JNU academically research-oriented and a 'Vishwaguru', where the new resurgent India will emerge from.
Regarding the controversy over her appointment, she said, "There is an ecosystem that is against anything the present government does. As I was appointed by the present government and it was such a revolutionary step that shocked those who say they are for women's empowerment. So, this is the first time that the government walked the talk. They broke three glass ceilings."
"It broke the entire fake narrative that was being spread that the government is Hindu and Hindi fascism. I am not a part of Hindi speaking. community. I am Tamil and come from a state that opposes Hindi as the official language. I am very much Telegu also. My husband is Marathi. I also belong to the backward class," she added.
Delhi Police on Monday registered an FIR against unidentified people in a case of violence inside the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus that resulted in the injuries of six students.
While the JNU administration said that no violence will be tolerated on campus and warned the students from getting involved in any incident which disturbs peace and harmony on campus.
Earlier on Sunday, a scuffle between two student groups was reported at JNU allegedly over-serving of non-veg food during Ram Navami.
The police on Monday registered a case under sections 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint),509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of IPC.