JNU Cancels Auditorium Booking for Discussion on Umar Khalid's Book, JNUSU Protests
A controversy erupted at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in New Delhi after the university administration cancelled the venue booking for a scheduled discussion on former JNU student leader Umar Khalid’s book, Fractured Communities. The academic event was slated to be held at the SSS-I auditorium on August 10 to mark World Adivasi Day.
The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) strongly condemned the administration's action in a public statement, alleging censorship and describing the decision to revoke the venue booking as "arbitrary and authoritarian." The students' body maintained that the cancellation reflected a broader pattern of increasing restrictions on campus discussions. According to the union, open academic debates and critical conversations are integral to campus life and democratic engagement. JNUSU accused the university administration of attempting to curb dissent and suppress critical voices on campus.
The students' body also raised concerns regarding what it described as a "selective application of rules" by the university administration. JNUSU claimed that while several other events on the JNU campus had routinely received institutional support and official space, this specific discussion on Khalid's book was denied space.
In response to the cancellation of the SSS-I auditorium, JNUSU announced that the discussion would still take place as planned. The union stated that the event would be held in an open space situated directly outside the School of Social Sciences. JNUSU issued a call to students and faculty members across the university campus, urging them to gather and participate in the open-air program.
On its part, the university administration defended the cancellation, reiterating that its decision was strictly guided by established administrative procedures. The university maintained that due procedure had not been followed in securing the venue, leading to the cancellation of the auditorium reservation.
