Civil rights groups in Rajasthan have welcomed the High Court's intervention in the suspension of a teacher of Jai Narain Vyas University in Jodhpur in connection with a complaint lodged against Professor Nivedita Menon of Jawaharlal Nehru University, who was accused of making some “anti-national” remarks during a conference last month.
Justice Dinesh Mehta at the High Court's principal seat in Jodhpur on Monday stayed the JNV University's order of February 16 placing Rajshree Ranawat of English Department under suspension on charges of not obeying orders of a fact finding committee by failing to appear before it. Dr. Ranawat had asked the committee to provide her with security for deposing before it in view of threats issued to her by a group of students.
The Single-Judge Bench stayed the university syndicate's decision and issued notices to the Vice-Chancellor and Registrar, seeking their response by the next date of hearing on April 17. “Until further orders, [the] effect and operation of the order dated February 16, 2017 placing the petitioner under suspension remain stayed,” said the Court order.
During the hearing, the Court expressed surprise that the university had suspended a teacher simply because of her invitation to a particular person to address a conference.
The People's Union for Civil Liberties said it was “extremely pleased” with the High Court's intervention in the matter. PUCL State president Kavita Srivastava and general secretary Anant Bhatnagar pledged their support to Dr. Ranawat in her struggle for justice and said they would intensify the struggle for academic freedom in all universities and educational institutions.
The JNV University's Registrar and some others had lodged police complaints against Prof. Nivedita Menon and Dr. Ranawat, alleging that Prof. Menon had made anti-national remarks on Kashmir and the Indian Army at a conference on “History Reconstrued through Literature: Nation, Identity, Culture” organised by Dr. Ranawat.
The rights groups said Dr. Ranawat was being tortured and harassed by the university through fact finding committees, show cause notices and later a suspension, along with a complaint sent by the the varsity authorities to the police. She is also facing a private complaint in court, which has been sent to the police for preliminary enquiry.
Dr. Ranawat had moved the High Court challenging all orders, including that of her suspension, and sought that her suspension be quashed and all committees and show cause notices issued by the syndicate and the university administration be declared null and void.
