No seminar on West Asia cancelled, one postponed due to "miscommunication": JNU

Dean of JNU's School of International Studies (SIS) Amitabh Mattoo told ANI that the varsity is writing to Iranian Ambassador Iraj Elahi and will be able to confirm the date of his seminar "really soon".

"Just one event which was of the Iranian Ambassador coming to SIS, JNU has been postponed and that happened because of the lack of communication between the individual faculty member who had invited his excellency the Iranian ambassador and the center for West Asian studies," Mattoo said.

He said the Iranian Ambassador's session was postponed due to logistical and protocol reasons.

"Because before inviting an ambassador or high-level dignitary, there is a certain protocol that needs to be followed, and adequate notice has to be given to students and faculty. In terms of protocol a Dean or a senior professor should be there to receive the ambassador or the high commissioner. Similarly, in terms of platform that we provide, we have to ensure that there is a quality audience as well as all other security details are provided for," Mattoo added.

In this case, it was really at the last moment that the chairperson of the Center of West Asian Studies got to know of the event and she thought it was best to reschedule the event to a later date. So, we will be hoping that the Iranian ambassador will be in JNU and SIS very soon, he said.

"We value academic freedom. That's enshrined in our fundamentals and we want her to have our students be exposed to a diversity of news including on something as contentious as West Asia. We recognise that there are strong sentiments associated with issues like that and that is why there is a protocol in place. But academic freedom, diversity of views, and inviting a large number of views are important for us and we hope we will be able to invite people who may disagree with us or disagree with even Iranian ambassador's view including perhaps the ambassador of Israel as well subsequently," Mattoo further said.

"So, this is a miscommunication rather than a cancellation," he stated.

When asked about the rescheduled date for the event, he said, 'We are writing to the Iranian ambassador and I am sure it will be really soon that we will be able to confirm a date'.

On being asked about Lebanon and Palestine ambassador's seminars, Mattoo said, "The decisions are taken by the Center. I was not aware that the invitations had gone to Lebanese ambassador as well as to the Palestinian ambassador. I think the Center which have the great academic autonomy will take a decision and if believe that we should have an event, obviously I will be there only to help and support because as a Dean of the school, I am not there to control, but really to help and support and create an environment in ecosystem of the best quality of discussion and idea".

Asked about concerns over potential restrictions on discussions related to the West Asia conflict, Mattoo said campuses have right to expose students to a variety of views even on "deeply contentious issues."

"We believe that student has a right and campuses have a right to expose our students to a variety of views even on deeply contentious issues. But we also need to ensure the integrity of our platform is not violated by vested interests. That's where we need to put in place standard operating procedures and protocols so that we can have a healthy discussion on the most polarised of subjects," he said.

The Dean further said the JNU have had ambassadors in the past and had ambassadors from all the countries including the countries that "India do not have good relations with often, but that's why we believe that's how academic knowledge grows".

"So, just the fact that it is a polarising issue doesn't mean we will not engage with it. It just means we will engage with it in a manner of reason, reasonableness and sobriety with a set of protocols in place," he added. (ANI)