Delhi University’s Ramjas College which has been at the centre of a controversy has asked its students and teachers to “voluntarily” come forward to submit to the inquiry committee evidence on the recent campus violence.
On February 22, the college witnessed widespread violence over a seminar where Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Ph.D students Shehla Rashid and Umar Khalid were invited to speak on the “Cultures of Protests.”
In this matter, the college had last week ordered an inquiry into alleged involvement of its students in the clashes over the seminar while resolving to stand by its teachers and students who had planned the event. The genesis of the clash was the invite to JNU students which was withdrawn by the college authorities following opposition by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) which hold a strong support base in the college while having three seats in the Delhi University Students Union (ABVP).
“The investigation committee will submit its report in a time-bound manner. All those voluntarily willing to depose as witness or produce evidence in any form should submit it to the probe panel,” PC Tulsian, the acting principal, said.
The former principal of the college, Rajendra Prasad who got retired just days after the controversy called for peace and asked the college community to “maintain the dignity” of the college. In his appeal to the students, he said, “I appeal to the students of this illustrious college, for which we have toiled so hard day and night, not to get involved in any such activity which spoils the name and dignity of Ramjas and adopt peaceful modes to deal with any conflict of ideas.”
Following ABVP protests, the college had withdrawn the invite to Khalid, who has been charged with sedition, and Rashid, who was the face of the movement demanding JNU students’ release in the sedition case registered last year. Delhi University authorities had earlier said the proctor’s office was also looking into the issue. The Union HRD Ministry had also sought a report.
The aftermath of the event has echoed across the country mainly the Capital where students and teachers have held back-to-back protests.