JNU teaches empathy for the poor, says Gujarat Chief Secretary

Additional Chief Secretary Sanjay Prasad, who too is an alumnus of JNU, praised the university for teaching him to “question everything and promoting rational thinking”. Prasad had investigated the killings of Dalit youths in Thangadh police firing in 2012.

Stating that being an alumnus of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) was a “matter of pride”, Chief Secretary of Gujarat J N Singh on Sunday that the JNU gives intellectual freedom. “It is not about being a card holder of Left or Right ideologies… it is a matter of pride for all of us… JNU teaches empathy for the poor which any government would like,” Singh said at the annual meet of Alumni Association of JNU (AAJ), Gujarat chapter, here.

While interacting with the alumni, he said that he studied International Studies at JNU from 1979 to 1982. “JNU provides opportunities intellectually and internally so that you can do best. I remember the library where used to study and sip tea which used to be available even at 12 in the night. There was intellectual atmosphere we had never seen…the kind of political belief which used to be there…abhi bhi hai (it is still there) and that’s why HRD Ministry gave it second rank in the country,” he added, referring to the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) crediting the JNU with an A++ rank.

Additional Chief Secretary Sanjay Prasad, who too is an alumnus of JNU, praised the university for teaching him to “question everything and promoting rational thinking”. Prasad had investigated the killings of Dalit youths in Thangadh police firing in 2012.

Director General of Police (Administration) Mohan Jha, said that studying at the JNU was the “best thing” that happened in his life. “I have nothing better than JNU in the life. This is the best thing happened in my life. It keeps the brain opened,” said Jha, who was a member of the Special Investigation Team that probed the Ishrat Jahan encounter case and established for the first time that it was a fake encounter.

About 25 people took part in the event, which was held for the second time in two years. Several professors from Central University Gujarat (CUG), PDPU, Gujarat University, were those who participated in the meet.  At the meet, IPS officer of Gujarat cadre K K Ojha, currently Additional DGP (Police Training), called for abolition of caste system. “We all should think about removing caste system from the country. We should think about a law that abolishes the system of having surnames,” he said.

The alumni elected a new central panel and executive committee for the next two years. Amiya Chandra, IRS, Development commissioner, Mundra, has been elected president, while Additional Chief Secretary Sangeeta Singh as vice-president.

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