Jawaharlal University Vice-Chancellor Shantishree Pandit on Thursday said that it was an “unfortunate phase” for the university when its image was tarnished with remarks like ‘anti-national’ or ‘tukde-tukde’. She further said that the scenario was mistaken on both ends and certain “10% lunatic fringes” cannot represent the rest of the “90% faculty”. Her statements came while she was giving an interview to the Press Trust of India (PTI).
When asked, "There was a time when JNU was considered an ‘anti-national’ university. Did you endorse or see if that was the reality or did this opinion reflect the reality? To which Pandit responded, “I think that was a phase where there were some mistakes on both sides. The leadership there tried to control. It is not just JNU, any other university has 10% 'lunatic fringe', and this 10% does not represent the 90% of the faculty.”
“It is also about the leadership, how we tackle such situations, and people with 'extreme views'. Everybody has it but then I don't think we are 'anti-national' or 'tukde-tukde'. JNU students have made their way into all the defence institutes of the country - NDA, Military, Airforce, Navy - Every officer, Whatever degree comes from JNU,” she told PTI.
"Because, thanks to Indira Gandhi, by the act of Parliament, we are the only university that affiliates Nationally. No other university including the Delhi University can do that. And we have the best research institutes under us," she added.
"That phase was bad. I would say, due to polarisation, the leadership failed to understand, that's why, I guess, when Amitabh Kant and S Jaishankar were there on the campus, they said, only a JNU alumni should become a JNU VC," Shantishree replied, adding, “You have to be more democratic here. It can't be treated like IITs or IIMs, one has to understand that people will differ, they would argue”.
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