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Former President of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) Dhananjay has filed a complaint with the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) against JNU Vice Chancellor Santishree D. Pandit over allegedly hateful remarks made on a public platform.
The complaint alleges that the Vice Chancellor's statements promoted feelings of enmity, hatred, and ill will against the Dalit community. The complaint, submitted by Dhananjay, former President of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (2023-24), claims that the Vice Chancellor's remarks contravene the provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. The SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, was enacted to prevent atrocities and hate crimes against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. It criminalises acts that insult, humiliate, or create social hostility against members of these communities and provides mechanisms for immediate investigation and legal action to ensure protection of their rights and dignity. The petition seeks immediate intervention from the NCSC, requesting cognizance of the complaint, registration of a case under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, investigation by an independent committee, and disciplinary as well as legal action against the Vice Chancellor, including her removal from office. The complainant emphasised that no apology has been issued by the Vice Chancellor, reinforcing the perception that the remarks were deliberate and intended to foster discrimination. On Sunday, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Vice Chancellor Santishree D Pandit defended her recent remarks regarding Dalits and Blacks, saying her comments were taken out of context and misrepresented for "political purposes" by certain groups. Her clarification comes amid protests by student organisations, including the JNU Students' Union (JNUSU), which have demanded her resignation over the remarks made in a podcast published on February 16. In a written statement shared with ANI by the Vice Chancellor, "a large number of faculty" members also extended their "unwavering support" to Pandit, accusing the JNU Students' Union and the JNU Teachers' Association (JNUTA) of eroding deliberative discourse on campus through selective framing. The controversy stems from Pandit's remarks in the podcast while discussing the UGC's proposed 2026 Equity (Anti-Discrimination) Regulations aimed at addressing caste-based discrimination in higher educational institutions. In a clip circulating online, she was heard saying that Dalits and Blacks "cannot progress by being permanently a victim or playing the victim card," triggering sharp reactions from student groups. (ANI)
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