JNUSU seeks police action against JNU VC for alleged caste abuse

The JNUSU has demanded police action against JNU VC Santishree Pandit for her alleged casteist remarks on a podcast. The comments sparked widespread protests, leading to student lockdowns, detentions, and the arrest of 14 students.

JNUSU Seeks Action Over VC's 'Casteist' Remarks

The JNUSU had written to the DCP seeking action on the VC based on the media reports that two complaints of caste abuse have been lodged against the Vice-Chancellor of JNU, Santishree D Pandit, because of her remarks on a podcast published by a newspaper.

According to the complaints, the Vice-Chancellor made statements between the timestamps of 46:20 and 47:14 of the podcast to the effect that Dalits, akin to other oppressed groups, engage in "permanent victimhood" and "playing the victim card." She further likened such social realities to a "temporary type of drug" and suggested that such oppression is an "imaginary" construct. Such utterances from the highest executive authority of the University gravely undermine the dignity and lived experiences of members of the people hailing from the Dalit community. These remarks are not merely insensitive but are derogatory in character, tending to delegitimise structural discrimination and fostering an atmosphere conducive to prejudice and hostility on campus. As the democratically elected representatives of the campus, JNUSU urged the police to expedite the process of investigation into these alleged violations of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. The JNUSU also asked the police to ensure the safety of the complainants. We had also requested a meeting on April 6, 2025, regarding this, but there has been no reply until now.

Student Protests Escalate, Met with Repression

On March 11, students of Jawaharlal Nehru University have been protesting against corruption in the administration and the deeply casteist remarks made by the Vice Chancellor, Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit, including her statement that "Dalits and Blacks are drugged with victimhood. "These remarks have sparked widespread anger across the campus and raised serious concerns about the conduct and accountability of the university's highest office. With the cooperation of all School Faculty Committees (SFCs), councillors, student organisations and the wider student community, the JNUSU led a sustained protest movement. What began as a strike gradually intensified into lockdowns across several schools of the university. Students collectively participated in these democratic actions through decisions taken at various School General Body Meetings (GBMs).

During this period, the administration responded with repression. FIRs were filed against several students, including multiple FIRs against Office Bearers (OBs) of the Union, simply for implementing the democratic decisions taken by the student body in GBMs. The situation escalated when students marched to the Ministry of Education (MoE) to demand implementation of UGC regulations, adequate funding for the university, and the resignation of the Vice Chancellor for her casteist remarks. The police detained more than 50 students and arrested 14 of them. The JNU-14 were sent to Tihar Jail, where they spent three days in custody. (ANI)

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