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that some of our stu- ments, books or hard
dents like terrorists are disc etc.
hiding their faces and If we succeeded,
destroying the proper- some students ac-
ties of the University company us to watch
of national eminence. our movements.
Ironically, the media Many of the times,
selectively and briefly we face harsh words,
shared the news. Ironi- indefinite wait, deni-
cally, the JNU Teachers al, asking usto come
Association (JNUTA) in- in the weekends or
stead of condemning remained mysteriously silent about this after office hours. Many times our PhD students get access to
act of vandalism. Even after that some of us were surprised tol open our office rooms instead of us to take out some impor-
learn that no polic9e was called inside the campus and no ac- tant stuff. There is no platform these days to raise voice about
tion has been taken so far against those students who commit- the intrusion of the democratic space of a teacher for it us no
ted this crime. longer a concern for JNUTA. But we often talk, argue, debate so
Only the internal security somehow cleared the blockage much about democratic space in JNU!!
and we heard that students guarding the gate were beaten JNU administration has announced the registration for this
up. We heard and saw the pictures that the central server winter semester from January 1 to 5 and opened the option
was damaged so much that it is still under restoration and the for students who have discarded then examination for three
registration could not start. We have learnt that JNUSU have times. First two days, the registration was taking in a slower
strongly condemned the assault towards the students who pace, which always happens, as the students have to collect
were guarding the CIS. She said that curiously I asked one of clearances from difference places. Of course many were inter-
the agitating students I taught, “you talk about democratic ested in registering but were exhausted b y two months long
rights and you condemn the assault on some students but are agitation. Their future is uncertain now.
you condemning the act of vandalism?” He replied, “This was Earlier there was support from the students and from the
done by some miscreant students who we don’t have control”. I teachers. No more as student support is getting thinner. I was
asked then why you condemn the assault? Don’t you think they in Dean office and was traumatized to witness the frenzy of
deserve some punishment? The answer is blowing in the wind. the students shouting slogans boycotting registration, threat-
There is no answer for many things. No answer why the stu- ening us to leave the place or they will lock us. Some students
dents are not celebrating their win when these two months of were already there for registration but server was still under
lock down has actually managed tor educe the hostel rents to restoration. By 11 AM, many aggressive students were entering
600/300 and 150/300 for BPL students? Why they want to the building in waves and it was strategically girls who were
continue this lock downs? Some of them are saying they want threatening, shouting, and abusing the office staff and students
roll role back. Some say we have some of the agenda to fulfill. who were waiting for registration. They blacked the gate for
Some are suspicious of something. Of all these, some of our faculty as well as students.
students are sharing confidentially that theyt want to with- There were students in masked faces standing and watch-
draw from the movement because they suspect some hidden ing in groups and many of us were suspecting that there were
agendas and vested interests. not our students. We were shocked
We the helpless, voiceless spec- by the intensity of nastiness and
tators, who have been thrown out 'JNU is a perfect example of bad vulgarity. I left at 6 PM and was
from own office rooms for the last socialism. If you give something for anguished to learn that our senior
two months, are biting nails, sit- colleague Professor Suchartia Sen
ting roadsides or in the parking free, people have no incentive to was badly injured. She said that she
lot in the harsh winter for advice work & earn. Why would anyone at is deeply worried about the safety
to students and academic activi- oif those vulnerable students. It is
ties and hoping against hopes that JNU be in a hurry to find jobs or even difficult to believe that it if was the
normalcy will restore soon. When same University which taught us
will we go back to our cozy corners publish research? In a nation where to respect diversity, to create space
and get back to work? Some of us we’re are hardly able to educate our for differences in opinion and live
have to plead to the students who in harmony. It is not the University
are blocking all the gates of our children through primary schools, I have known and have taken pride
building to allow access to our own JNU stands tall as an example of of being from that fraternity.
office rooms for just five minutes
to collect some important docu- socialist elitism at its best' LETTERS@TEHELKA.COM

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