NEW DELHI: The Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers’ Association (JNUTA) on Tuesday welcomed the Delhi HC’s intervention in the case of Dr Rohan V.H. Choudhari, a faculty member whose services were abruptly terminated by the JNU administration last month.
During hearings over the past two days, the court reportedly expressed strong reservations about the legality of the termination order. Facing critical observations from the bench, the university administration were compelled to withdraw its earlier stance and offered Choudhari the option of appealing before the University Court. Until such an appeal is decided, the termination order will remain in abeyance. This effectively means that Dr. Choudhari’s dismissal stands annulled for now, and he will continue in service.
JNUTA described the development as a setback for Vice Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit, accusing her of pursuing a “vindictive agenda” against faculty members. In a statement, JNUTA said, “The fact that the Vice Chancellor, hell-bent upon destroying the career of a young colleague, could not get her actions to pass a judicial review despite her best efforts is a telling indictment of her misconduct.”
The teachers’ body alleged that the VC’s move was unilateral and not a collective decision of the Executive Council. It reiterated its demand for her removal and for complete revocation of the termination order.
As part of its continuing protest, JNUTA announced a joint Save JNU March with students on September 3. The march will begin at Ganga Dhaba and conclude at Barak Hostel, starting at 5 pm. The association appealed to both students and teachers to join in large numbers. The confrontation between JNUTA and the administration marks a fresh flashpoint in the ongoing tensions on campus over issues of governance and academic freedom.
JNUTA President, in an official statement, said, “To raise our voice against vindictive actions and the undermining of the Varsity’s acts and statutes, the JNUTA, as mandated by the emergency GBM, will hold a joint student-teacher Save JNU March from Ganga Dhaba to Barak Hostel on September 3 at 5 pm.”