Communal Profiling of Kashmiri Students Continues in JNU

Communal profiling of Kashmiri students by senior Professor Amita Singh at Jawaharlal Nehru University is making them vulnerable to physical attacks and has put their lives at stake, alleged Aejaz Ahmed Rather, a student of Centre of Historical Studies. In his second complaint to Delhi Minority Commission, Rather complained that Amita Singh, known for her controversial remarks against Kashmiris, Muslims and Dalits, continues to target him without any concrete evidence to gain political favours. She is currently a member of the Indian Council of Social Science Research and Member Secretary of JNU Ethics Review Board.

Rather, who is also the General Secretary of Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union, said that Singh continues to target him on Twitter despite the commission directing the university to conduct an enquiry against her after she called him a terrorist who has committed 10 bomb blasts. He emphasised that he has not been informed about any inquiry from the administration.

The complaint read, "By such vicious and communal remarks, Prof. Singh is making my life very vulnerable to physical attacks and has mentally harassed me.  In her heinous and bigoted conspiracy theories, she has falsely chosen to target and involve some Muslim students from the Centre for Study of Law and Governance (CSLG) where she teaches. This communal profiling has terrified the Muslim students in Centre for Study of Law and Governance where she is a senior faculty.  The actions of Prof. Singh are defaming the secular character of JNU for which the University is known world over."

The complaint was filed after the professor, in a series of tweets, said that Ahmed was among the students who allegedly entered into the house of JNU Vice Chancellor Jagadesh Kumar on March 25. Replying to a tweet by JNU VC, in which he had complained about his house being trespassed by JNU students, she said the JNU administration should have taken swift action against Rather. She said, "Whattt? Where is your security, the great rectors, and admin who you trust to the core? Wasn't the preparedness, advance planning and swift action required since the day our ill informed courts cleared Aejaz Ahmed Rather led team to freedom."

The tweets later posted demanded a "surgical aim at roaming campus seditionist." She tweeted, "MHA, Courts Take urgent action against tukde tukde gang still very active at JNU campus. Even we faculty needs a chawkidaar firm, well trained,well informed for surgical aim against the roaming campus seditionists. Would you wait for another Gauri Lankesh type incident?"

MHA, Courts Take urgent action against tukde tukde gang still very active at JNU campus. Even we faculty needs a chawkidaar firm, well trained,well informed for surgical aim against the roaming campus seditionists.Would you wait for another Gauri Lankesh type incident?

— AMITA SINGH (@amitawah) March 29, 2019

When NewsClick contacted Amita Singh to explain "surgical aim", she refused to comment. JNU Registrar Pramod Kumar remained unavailable despite repeated attempts. Singh hit the headlines last month when she demanded the public execution of 40 Kashmiri people to avenge the killing of 40 CRPF personnel in a terrorist attack in Pulwama. However, her statement was strongly condemned by the People's Democratic Party which alleged she has been peddling concocted and ridiculous allegations and it will initiate legal action against her.

Calling her statement a stunt to gain political favours, JNUSU in its statement demanded her resignation. The statement said, "The impunity of Amita Singh and co. is already an established fact under this Mamidala administration, as a result of which obnoxious venomous communal statements are made again and again."

 It added, "Even then and even now we do not expect any apology from Amita Singh as it is her removal from university that matters to us."