[Reader-list] Emergency returns to JNU

[Prakash K Ray]

Dear all,

After attempts to bulldoze its agenda of commercialization and to tamper
with reservation, the JNU administration is now going all out to muzzle
freedom of expression and speech with a series of draconian measures. In a
meeting of the Provosts held on 26th March, the Dean of Students has come up
with a Proforma for all hostels regarding organizing Public Meetings and
Film Screenings. The guidelines formulated unanimously in the meeting are
nothing short of attempts on the part of the administration to suppress the
democratic rights of the students. The guidelines stipulates that no film
can be screened that doesn’t have a Censor Board certificate. Also, all
details on the movie, its makers, and time duration need to be mentioned
while filling the form for seeking permission to organize screenings in the
hostels. This implies that Documentaries/Films made by independent film
makers, cannot be screened. Furthermore, the guidelines also make it
mandatory on individuals/organizations holding Public Meetings to provide
all details of the topic, and list of speakers. According to the circular,
any meeting the administration feels would be in contravention of ‘national
harmony’ or ‘national integration’ or ' national security' could be
disallowed and denied permission. Permission must be taken a week before.

These new guidelines under the garb of standardizing procedures for all
hostels, are in fact draconian attempts to muzzle the voices of dissent,
thereby seeking to curtail the freedoms of speech and expression. The
pretext of the national interest and harmony is another excuse of
suppressing the heterodox views. These terms are always defined conveniently
to suit the hegemonic projects of those in power and against those who are
challenging this hegemony. These anti-democratic guidelines thus are a
systematic effort on part of administration to curb the progressive student
movement and launching fresh onslaughts on the student community. In the
absence of elections and an elected JNUSU, the administration has been
increasingly getting high-handed and pushing through such anti-student
policies. The administration has sought to conveniently use the stay on
JNUSU elections surreptitiously to bulldoze such anti-democratic measures.
It is a sad thing that most of teachers of JNU are either silent or
supporting the JNU administration. It is pertinent that the student
community in JNU remains vigilant and fight against such assaults on our
democratic rights that have been won after hard-fought struggles. All
right-thinking people should join hands with the progressive students of JNU
in their fight against these draconian measures tooth and nail.


Prakash