Accusing Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Vice-Chancellor (V-C) M. Jagadesh Kumar of “muzzling their democratic rights”, the JNU Students Union (JNUSU) on Monday called for boycotting the university’s convocation ceremony that is scheduled to be held on Wednesday.
This year’s convocation is supposed to be the first that JNU is holding since its first convocation more than 46 years back.
Urging the JNU community to boycott the official ceremony, the JNUSU in a statement said, “For the last two and a half years we have witnessed the systematic destruction of our campus led by the V-C and now the same V-C, after destroying JNU, wants a photo-op in the name of distribution of our degrees. In this context we appeal to the entire JNU community to boycott the V-C’s convocation. Our JNU degrees are to work for the people of the country and not for publicity stunts.”
The students’ body also said that it would organise a separate event which would be attended by alumni and students, on the same day.
“The V-C and his political masters, through their anti-student and anti-social justice policies, like research seat cut, scuttling reservations, fee hikes, victimisation and targeting of student activists through fines and punishments, have tried their best to demolish JNU and all that this university stands for. Let us unitedly reject this and celebrate what the JNU stands for — social inclusiveness, the spirit of questioning and fearless democratic culture,” read the statement.