Scholar Madhu Kishwar claims students raise 'abusive' slogans against her

Scholar Madhu Kishwar, who has been nominated to Jawaharlal Nehru University's (JNU) Academic Council (AC), alleged, Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) President Mohit Pandey and others of raising "abusive" slogans against her, as she reached to attend her first council meeting on Tuesday.

"As soon as I got off my taxi and was moving towards the JNU's Convention Center, where the AC meeting was scheduled to happen, a bunch of students lead by their the student union president Mohit Pandey started shouting abusive slogans against me," Kishwar said.

Kishwar, who will represent the School of Arts and Aesthetics (SAA) as an outside expert for two years in the council, alleged that students said that she has been included in the council to "destroy JNU".

"The way these handful students have tried to abuse me it clearly shows how brainless student politics is. "It's amusing that the leftist professors of JNU have arranged these students to abuse and shout slogans only against me despite other AC members being present for the meeting," she said.

Pandey, however, denied the allegation saying it was Kishwar who provoked the students holding silent protest against massive seat cut in research courses, outside the AC meeting. "The moment she reached there she started shooting video. And when students objected to her for doing that she got offended," he said. He said no abusive slogan was raised against her.

Soon after JNU Vice Chancellor Jagadesh Kumar nominated Kishwar's name, many have questioned her credential as an AC member over her alleged inclinations towards the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party.

"Those who are opposing my nomination should look at my CV first. I am a well-known academician who has penned several books. Also, have made several documentaries and written countless movie reviews. I am not affiliated to any party," Kishwar said.

Her literary work includes a series of articles titled Modinama (Chronicles of Prime Minister Narendra Modi) in her magazine Manushi. Also, in 2014, she published a book Modi, Muslims and Media.

The officials at the Varsity, however, say that they have no issue with Kishwar's appointment but her name was not there in the list suggested by them to the VC. "Why the VC even asked for our suggestion, if, he was not gong to consider names given by us," said a senior varsity official.

...& ANALYSIS

• This isn't the first time when a non-left faculty has alleged students of shouting "abusive" slogans against them. Recently, a senior JNU faculty Bhudhha Singh had made a similar complaint alleging students of abusing him and vandalising his car after he organised a condolence meet for Sukma martyr.