NEW DELHI: Advocating that it intends to provide a platform for balanced discussions, the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Friday said it has not cancelled any seminar on the West Asian conflict but had to postpone one where Iranian Ambassador Iraj Elahi was scheduled to speak due to logistical and protocol reasons.
Amitabh Mattoo, the Dean of the School of International Studies (SIS), said the university plans to invite Elahi, who was supposed to address a seminar on the subject on October 24, on a rescheduled date soon, likely next month.
He said that invitations for two other events, one on November 7, where the Palestinian ambassador was supposed to speak and another one on November 14, where Lebanese ambassadors were to speak, were not sent through official channels so there is no question of cancelling them.
He said there was no “external pressure” behind the university’s decision and they want to “maintain the integrity of the academic platforms”.
His remarks came a day after seminar coordinator Sima Baidya informed students about the postponement of the Iranian ambassador’s seminar and the cancellation of the two other events due to “unavoidable circumstances”.
Mattoo also stated that the faculty member had extended the invitation to the ambassadors without consulting the Center for West Asian Studies, leading to logistical challenges.