JNU Students’ Union gags Baba Ramdev : Shocking Intolerance to Diversity of Views
- In Politics
- 05:37 PM, Dec 29, 2015
- Dr. Bal Ram Singh
As we engage the world on the wisdom and practical utility of Vedanta and related concepts to address many of the challenging issues facing the humanity at the 22nd International Vedanta Congress being held at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), December 27-30, I received an unexpected communication from an individual who introduced herself as follows:
“My name is Shehla Rashid and I'm writing to you on behalf of the JNU Students' Union. I am currently the Vice-President in the Students' Union. I understand that the Institute of Advanced Sciences is a co-organiser in the ‘22nd International Congress of Vedanta’ being held in JNU’s Convention Center from 27th to 30th December, 2015.”
She went on with her rant, “It is very unfortunate to know that “Baba” Ramdev has been invited as a keynote speaker in the Valedictory Ceremony to be held on the 30th of December. It does not befit the stature of an academic institution like JNU to have persons with such a questionable and shameful background to address an academic gathering.”
I believe Ms. Rashid is majoring in sociology, nevertheless she made efforts to address her concept of principle of science. “Sir, the first principle of science is freedom from bias and prejudice- be it Indian science or Western science…..Please note that we do take an anti-imperialist stance, and, we do support a genuine, rational inquiry into ancient Indian science, and not an uncritical acceptance of Western science. This also means that Indian science should also not be accepted uncritically, and that similar standards of rigour must be adhered to. One such standard is the principle of freedom from bias. In the name of ancient Indian science, persons like Ramdev cannot be allowed to spread regressive ideas in our progressive campus.”
She concluded with a dire threat. “Through this letter, we urge you and the other organisers of this conference to cancel the keynote address or we, the student community of JNU, would be forced to launch an agitation against this step, as we cannot give acquiescence to the organisers' decision to invite Ramdev to speak.”
Here is my response to Ms. Rashid for which I await her response.
“Dear Ms. Shehla Rashid,
Thank you very much for writing to me with your concerns.
Please allow me to introduce myself a bit before I respond to your note so that my comments and observations are received in a proper context.
I am a JNU alumnus, and currently a life member of the Alumni Association of JNU (AAJ). During my student life at JNU (1977-1983) I served in the JNUSU [Jawaharlal Nehru University Student Union] as a councilor for five years in a row representing SLS, and four of those years as a convener of the SLS as well as the three science schools we had those days. One of those years I also served on the election commission of the JNUSU. We had organized many protests at the university and school levels, including protests against Indira Gandhi, Morarji Desai (I was one of the five member JNUSU delegation that included JNUSU president at that time, Sitaram Yechury, to meet with PM Desai to discuss our concerns), and Deans and Vice Chancellors. As a convener of SLS I had closed down the school for 14 days to protest against an administration action against a female student of SC/ST class. For this action I was even recommended to be rusticated by the Rector of that time, but was protected by the VC of that time [Professor Nayudamma], who told me that since I had been on top of my class in M.Sc. and M.Phil, I couldn’t have a political motivation in taking the direct action. The demands of the student body were met, and I remained then and remain now a good friends with the Rector who had recommended my rustication.
I recall the above to share my experience and culture we had a JNU, and through JNUSU, when we raised issues of our concern. We remained students first, and raised issues which were dearest to students, but for education and welfare of students. We routinely expressed our views on other issues of national and international concern, but hardly took direct actions. Passing a resolution in the student council was taken seriously by the concerned parties and the media.
Now to your note. I appreciate your concerns about potential unbiased approach to science, and issues related to social and political views of Swami Ramdev. I have seen some news items on the issues you raise about his views but there are always confusions about how the reports are presented, and frankly are not the criteria for someone to be able to speak on a subject in an academic conference.
Swami Ramdev is a prominent personality in India, who has vast knowledge of Yoga and Vedanta, both textual and practical. The applied aspects of Indian philosophy in terms of Yoga and Ayurveda are of great interest to the scientific community in the world, including my own research work. It is important for the scholars to get exposure to such practices and interrogate such systems, as the global society faces many challenges related to health and environmental issues. Swami Ramdev and his institutions, including a university at the Patanjali, can help advance the understanding and scholarship in these areas. Scientists will have to examine all the claims and mechanisms professionally, and that can happen only through interactions and collaborations on experiments and ideas.
The purpose in inviting scholars and practitioners to conferences is not to endorse anyone or oppose them. It is in the nature of such efforts to question and comment on the ideas presented. The program committee of the Vedanta Congress consists of prominent scholars and academics, and makes recommendations for speakers and presenters with due consideration. You should be rest assured that scholars and practitioners invited are of highest caliber. As a student body you are free to express your views, but without casting any aspersions on the academic matters. This falls in the purview of faculty.
As a head of a foreign institution collaborating on this conference, I was a bit shocked with the language and tone of your letter. I expected a more nuanced and dignified note of concern from a student representing JNUSU. I am not sure if JNUSU had a formal resolution adopted on this matter, and if your letter represents the position of JNUSU. JNU is a place of higher learning, and has a reputation in leading intellectual discourses. We all connected to JNU should be more cognizant of this fact.
Intellectual discourse must be encouraged anywhere, more so on a university campus. We need more discussion and debates, even more with whom we disagree. These events provide us opportunities to learn and question, a tradition common throughout the academic world. I was aghast at your threat of agitation to prevent someone from speaking on the JNU campus. A series of questions to be raised to Swami Ramdev and other scholars of Vedanta conference would have been a more intellectual approach. There are enough cases of intellectual intolerance already, and JNU should be the last place to be seen supporting it.
I am on campus until December 30, and will be back on January 11-14, and would be more than willing to interact with you and your colleagues on issues of mutual concerns.
With regards and best wishes for the New Year!”
It is very disconcerting that a prestigious university like JNU has been turned into a non-intellectual spats, and the student body is represented as prejudiced and intolerant to differing points of view.
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