A day after JNU Vice-Chancellor M. Jagadesh Kumar requested the Union government to install a battle tank on the campus, the teachers and students of the university on Monday rejected the idea saying “JNU cannot be made into a theatre of war”.
‘Gesture for alumni’
Reacting to the V-C’s request, the JNU Teachers’ Association said it was amused by the V-C’s earnest desire for a tank on the campus.
“It is surprising that Mr. Kumar can only be inspired to patriotism upon beholding instruments of war. This seems to be only a personal affliction, since the rest of the JNU community does not need these visual aids to feel love and concern for this land, its environment and all its people, whether in the armed services or elsewhere,” said the association.
The V-C, meanwhile, maintained that he had asked for a tank only to recognise and respect the sacrifices of the JNU alumni. “JNU has been issuing degrees for cadets from all three forces the Army, Navy and Air Force,” he said.
On Sunday, speaking at an event on the campus on the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas to mark India’s victory in the 1999 conflict with Pakistan, the V-C had requested for a battle tank at JNU so that students can be “reminded of the sacrifices and valour of the soldiers”.
‘Tanks not for spectacle’
The JNUTA said it hoped Mr. Kumar will understand that developing what he believes is the correct affective attachment towards the Indian Army is not a part of his job description.
“JNU cannot be made into a theatre of war. His statutory role is one of ‘maintaining and promoting the efficiency and good order of the university’ and of upholding the JNU Act and Statutes,” said the association in a statement.
The JNU Students’ Union said, “JNU, or for that matter any university, is an institutional space to further develop ideas and deliberate on issues. Army tanks are not for spectacle. Nationalism cannot be infused through beholding instruments of war. The Vice-Chancellor and his idea of a tank in university is not needed to instil patriotism.”
Mr. Kumar had mooted the idea in the presence of Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, MoS, External Affairs, General V.K. Singh, Mentor of Veterans India, a body of ex-servicemen, Maj General G.D. Bakshi, and cricketer Gautam Gambhir who had taken part in a tiranga march on the JNU campus.
