NEW DELHI – The Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers Association (JNUTA) has criticized the university administration and Delhi Police for their lack of action following a violent attack on the prestigious campus four years ago. The masked attackers struck during a students’ movement protesting a proposed fee hike, which they argued would make JNU the most expensive central university in the country.
The teachers expressed concerns about the silencing of independent voices by then Vice Chancellor Jagadesh Mamidala. Those injured in the attack accused the Right wing body Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarathi Parishad, an organization affiliated with Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), of being responsible for the violence.
After initial statements from the victims, the Delhi Police failed to gather data about the members of WhatsApp groups “Friends of RSS” and “Unity against Left,” where the attack was allegedly planned. WhatsApp, owned by US tech company Meta, refused to share information about the group members, while Google requested a Letter Rogatory under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) to preserve and share the data.
D K Lobiyal, president of JNUTA, criticized the lack of justice for the victims, stating that neither the Delhi Police nor the university administration showed any interest in delivering justice. He also expressed frustration at the failure to file charges in the case and the ongoing investigation. The absence of effective action, according to Lobiyal, indicates complicity of the JNU administration and Delhi Police in the violence.
Avinash Kumar, a teacher at the Centre for Informal Sector and Labour Studies, voiced his disappointment with the failure of both the JNU Administration and the Delhi Police to address the mob violence. He emphasized the larger issue of a perversion of justice and the suppression of democratic rights.
The JNUTA believes that the events at JNU four years ago are part of a larger pattern of suppressing dissent through misuse of official power.
The JNUTA’s criticism of the handling of the 2016 attack at JNU highlights ongoing concerns about the lack of accountability and justice for the victims of the violence. The failure to address the violence and the broader issues it represents continue to provoke frustration among the JNU community and raise questions about the role of the authorities in upholding the rule of law.