JNU Introduces a Study on “Islamic Terrorism”, Students’ Union Objects
Image Courtesy: Mysuru Today
Fearing a “communal agenda”, the JNU Students’ Union (JNUSU) members have objected to the name of an area of study named “Islamic Terrorism”, to be offered by a proposed centre on national security.
The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Academic Council, on Friday, tabled a report, proposing a special centre for national security studies. Some of the key areas of study at the centre will be insurgency, Naxalism and cyber security. The report also included “Islamic Terrorism” as an area of work, which has been opposed by the Students’ Union.
“This grotesque propaganda of Islamophobia in the name of academic courses is deeply problematic. It seems the RSS-BJP's election propaganda material will be prepared through these courses rather than studying the nature of terrorism in general,” PTI reported JNU Students’ Union President Geeta Kumari as saying.
While there is no clarity so far on the dimensions of the subject, academic council members expressed their disappointment with the way the meeting was conducted.
According to Sudhir K Sutha, office bearer of the JNU Teachers Association (JNUTA) and a special invitee to the council meeting, many members were not in favour of the idea of associating terrorism with a particular religion. The suggestion of replacing the debatable name with ‘religious terrorism’ was overlooked and the proposal was passed without considering the objections.
Displeased with the manner in which the council was administered, 33 members of the AC submitted a letter to the Registrar, saying they were “shocked at the way in which the meeting was conducted, where regular members of the council were not allowed to speak,” The Hindu reported.
The centre aims to focus only on research activities in the first five years, offering only M.Phil/Ph.D courses.
Students and academics said that what will be included in the study area “Islamic Terrorism” is unclear but going by the ideological inclination of the present dispensation it is worrying that such a theme is being forced upon JNU.
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