“When I heard that the first woman vice chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) had been appointed, as a woman and a feminist, I was very happy. But this was followed by disappointment,” said Tayyaba, a student at the Centre for Study of Regional Development, referring to the appointment of Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit.
Previously a professor at the Department of Political Science and Public Administration at Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pandit was appointed the next vice chancellor of JNU on 7 February.
Soon after her appointment was announced, tweets allegedly posted from her Twitter account over the past few years came under the scanner. Many of the tweets were tagged as ‘communal’ as they openly targeted minority communities. A few hours after the tweets went viral, the account was deactivated. She later told The Indian Express that the account was hacked – but followed it up with other contradictory claims.
Students of the JNU say that her appointment has amplified a sense of fear within the campus.
‘Appointment Has Instilled Fear Among Minority Students’
“As soon as she was appointed, we started going through her Twitter to see if she was someone who would stand for students’ issues. But when we went through it, we saw that there was so much hate against minority communities and the student community,” said Tayyaba.
“Minority communities are already terrorised across the country. So when someone in power openly condemns a minority community, the fear in our minds is amplified."Tayyaba, student at Centre for Study of Regional Development, JNU
‘Students Issues Should Be a Priority’
Students were hoping that the new VC would understand their issues such as reinstating the Gender Sensitisation Committee Against Sexual Harassment (GSCASH), which was dismantled three years ago, and addressing their reservations about the National Education Policy (NEP).
However, the new VC announced on her first day that she would strive to implement the NEP, announced in 2020 by the central government.
Student leader Aishe Ghosh tweeted on Tuesday saying that a few student leaders hoped to meet the new VC with a charter of demands, but were denied entry.
JNUSU Councillor Apeksha said that students are worried about how things will pan out under Prof Pandit's tenure.
“For the last few years, we have had a VC who has executed decisions without consulting the stakeholders involved. But going by the social media accounts of the new VC, it looks like she has been appointed to wage ideological warfare.”
Former JNUSU president N Sai Balaji also accused the new VC of being "openly fascist, anti-women, and Islamophobic".
“The new VC appointment is shocking as she is openly fascist and she wears her anti-women, Islamophobic, casteist opinions on her sleeve, as can be seen from her tweets…She spoke against JNU students and is now the VC. In her statement, she mentions that she will implement the NEP, which will end the grants system and introduce a loan model.N Sai Balaji, former JNUSU president
Students and Teachers Say They Will Be Vigilant
“We hope for the best but will stay vigilant," Apeksha, a student at the prestigious university, said.
Even the teachers association said in their statement that they would stay vigilant.
In a statement released on 8 February, the Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers Association (JNUTA) asked the VC to restore the "sanctity of statutory bodies and engage in transparent dialogic processes of decision-making".
They said that they want to ensure "a non-partisan administration" and restore teaching learning activities as per the ordinances of the university.
They added in the statement that as the elected body of teachers, they would continue to stay vigilant with regards to the well-being of the university.
Meanwhile, the JNU unit of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) welcomed her whole-heartedly.
Congratulating her, the official Twitter handle of ABVP Girls said that JNU will reach greater heights under her leadership.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)