JNUSU ‘referendum’: over 2,000 students back V-C’s removal

Over 2,000 JNU students support Vice-Chancellor's removal in a referendum amid controversy over alleged casteist remarks.

The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) on Wednesday said a “student referendum” showed overwhelming support for the removal of Vice-Chancellor (V-C) Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit over her alleged casteist remarks in a podcast last month.

The JNUSU said that of the 2,409 students who cast their votes in the “referendum”, 2,181 voted for the V-C’s resignation while 207 voted in favour of her continuation and 21 votes were declared invalid. “The referendum clearly reflects the overwhelming sentiment of the student body. The students of JNU have delivered a decisive democratic mandate demanding accountability and the resignation of the V-C,” the union said in a statement.

Another group of students and faculty members, however, questioned the transparency and legality of the “referendum”. A statement, issued by several students and faculty members, read that the JNUSU exercise was “not legally sound and takes attention away from real student issues”. “The V-C is appointed by the President of India. No student referendum has the power to remove, force the removal of, or even officially suggest the removal of a V-C,” the statement read.

JNUSU president Aditi Mishra said the referendum followed due procedure. “It is very sad that the legitimacy of an elected student body has been repeatedly questioned. The referendum conducted by JNUSU is absolutely valid, all due process was followed, and instructions for the referendum were released a day before,” she said.

“We have the signature of every student who cast their vote, for transparency, and the entire process was overseen by elected councilors. The students have a right to come together to express a collective opinion,” Ms. Mishra said. The university administration has not issued an official response to the referendum.

The controversy follows protests on campus over remarks allegedly made by the V-C during a podcast interview last month. In the podcast, Ms. Pandit could be heard purportedly saying: “You cannot progress by being permanently a victim or playing the victim card. This was done for the Blacks; the same thing was brought for Dalits here.”