Skip to main content

'Allow critical thinking': SAARC-sponsored varsity teachers support protesting students

By A Representative
Teachers of the high-profile South Asian University (SAU), a New Delhi-based international institute sponsored by eight member states of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka – have supported “peacefully protesting students and other citizens” against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), 2019 and the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
In a solidarity statement, 28 faculty members of all major departments of the university, ranging from computer science, mathematics, life sciences and biotechnology to international relations, economics, sociology and legal studies said they were “deeply disturbed” by the developments at the Jamia Milia Islamia (JMI) and the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) in the last few days.
“As it is well documented now through the media reports and eye witness accounts of students, on December 15, 2019 police entered JMI and AMU and assaulted and detained the students who were peacefully protesting against CAA and NRC”, the statement said.
Underlining that universities are “places for critical thinking and for expression of ideas”, the statement said, “Use of force against the students protesting peacefully against the CAA and NRC violates the right to peaceful assembly, freedom of speech and expression guaranteed under the Constitution of India.”
Condemning the “highhanded action of the police on students”, the statement urged the Government of India and state governments to “refrain from using force against the peacefully protesting students and other citizens across India”, even as seeking investigation into the “assault on the peacefully protesting students.
It said, the perpetrators of violence must be identified, appropriate action must be taken against them, and efforts should be made to “re-establish” trust in the rule of law.
---
Click here for list of signatories

Comments

Post a Comment

NOTE: While there is no bar on viewpoint, comments containing hateful or abusive language will not be published and will be marked spam. -- Editor

TRENDING

Manufacturing, services: India's low-skill, middle-skill labour remains underemployed

By Francis Kuriakose* The Indian economy was in a state of deceleration well before Covid-19 made its impact in early 2020. This can be inferred from the declining trends of four important macroeconomic variables that indicate the health of the economy in the last quarter of 2019.
Post a Comment
»

Incarceration of Prof Saibaba 'revives' the question: What is crime, who is criminal?

By Kunal Pant* In 2016, a Supreme Court Judge asked the state of Maharashtra, “Do you want to extract a pound of flesh?” The statement was directed against the state for contesting the bail plea of Delhi University Professor GN Saibaba. Saibaba was arrested in 2014, a justification for which was to prevent him from committing what the police called “anti-national activities.”
Post a Comment
»

Food security? Gujarat govt puts more than 5 lakh ration cards in the 'silent' category

By Pankti Jog* A new statistical report uploaded by the Gujarat government on the national food security portal shows that ensuring food security for the marginalized community is still not a priority of the state. The statistical report, uploaded on December 24, highlights many weaknesses in implementing the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in state.
Post a Comment
»