New Delhi, India – The Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers Association (JNUTA) expressed their dismay at the lack of appropriate action taken by the university administration and Delhi Police in response to the violent attack by masked assailants on the prestigious campus four years ago. The attack occurred during a student movement protesting a proposed fee hike that would have made JNU the most expensive central university in the country.
The teachers raised concerns about the suppression of independent voices among the teaching community by the Vice Chancellor at the time, Jagadesh Mamidala. Victims of the attack, both students and teachers, accused the right-wing organization Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarathi Parishad, affiliated with Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), for the violence.
Despite initially recording statements from the victims, the Delhi Police failed to gather data from the WhatsApp groups “Friends of RSS” and “Unity against Left” where the attack was allegedly planned. WhatsApp, owned by US tech company Meta, refused to disclose information about the group members, while Google requested a Letter Rogatory under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty from the Delhi Police. The lack of progress in the investigation led to criticism from the JNUTA.
D K Lobiyal, president of JNUTA, criticized both the Delhi Police and the university administration for their lack of interest in pursuing justice for the victims. He highlighted the absence of effective action as evidence that both parties were complicit in the violence. The callous attitude towards the injured, as well as reports of assistance provided to the attackers, further supported the notion that the violence was encouraged or organized to suppress dissent.
Avinash Kumar, a teacher at the Centre for Informal Sector and Labour Studies, echoed the sentiment of the JNUTA, expressing disappointment in the failure of the JNU Administration and the Delhi Police in addressing the mob violence. The incident at JNU four years ago is seen as part of a larger issue of suppressing dissent through the misuse of official power.
The lack of progress in the investigation and the continued persecution of those involved in peaceful protests point to a worrying trend of stifling democratic rights. The JNUTA remains committed to seeking justice for the victims and addressing the broader implications of the incident.