Jamia's VC addresses his Students

(Text and pics by Neyaz A. Farooquee)

(Peace be upon u)

It all started with a bang of clapping, a
hearty welcome to Sir Mushirul Hasan, the Hon’ble Vice Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia. And clapping rained again and again, whenever the students agreed with him. And I noticed there was not a single student who disagreed, till the end. Speaking in Urdu, he used Hindustani language used by common man, for most part of his address to the students of Jamia.

An unfortunate case had shattered the confidence and hopes of the students of Jamia, mostly from distant villages and towns of India. There was a sense of anxiety and insecurity among students, and many has started leaving for their hometown well before Eid vacation fearing any action by law enforcing agencies, legitimate or illegitimate, as there were Ifs and buts on the unfortunate incident among students and still is. And in this catch 22 situation there was a strong need for support and it came to them in the form of Padam Shri Prof. Mushirul Hasan, equally supported by faculty members.

He put his views in very straightforward and apolitical manner. “I, as your teacher, and on the behalf of other teachers of Jamia will support you in every hour of crisis. You are like my child. And a father can’t abandon their child in the hour of crisis. I’ll stand by until they are proven guilty”.

Regarding providing legal support to the alleged, he said, it’s the democratic right of every citizen, we are not doing anything new, Jamia has done it many times before for their students. We are not making any hurdles in the legal process but simply we are providing legal support to our students, which is entitlled by our constitution. But at the same time, he cautioned the students to refrain from doing anything which tie our (Jamia administration) hands. And he added,"then I'll abandon you". He asked the students to condemn any form of violence and uphold the secular values of Jamia. He reminded that In the 88 year of the history of Jamia, we have gone through many turbulent periods but we, ourselves, have overcome it. Very few institutes have with them freedom fighters of India associated, the way Jamia had. And he reminded the advocates of ‘one India’ theory who were associated with or part of Jamia. “There were many, like Maulana Jauhar, Waqar Ahmad, Dr. Zakir Hussain…and the list will keep on going, if we continue”.

Addressing the Jam packed M A Ansari Auditorium of the university with a capacity of almost 1000 but with the involuntary huge rush of the students, many fold inside and similar rush outside, he urged the students not to be on defensive. He said, “We are as good a citizen of India as others”. “We don’t need to explain anybody except ourselves and our faith that clearly eschews violence”.

He invited everyone to join the Peace march tomorrow(on 25th Sep. ’08) to reaffirm our belief in peace and disapproval of violence.

Some quotes:
"Yes we were conspirators, but that was at the time of freedom struggle, and we are proud of having that role played then."

(There was report in media that most of the faculty members didn’t attend the talk hosted by VC. It is a blatant lie. Due to shortage of seats on the dais, they were applauding from the front seats of Auditorium and many failed to enter the Auditorium due to unexpected huge rush. Most of deans of were there representing their respective departments. And regarding faculties, it amounts to more than 550 but auditorium has a holding capacity of almost 1000. See http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Delhi/Father_cant_abandon_child_Jamia_varsity_V-C/articleshow/3523969.cms

Another factually erroneous statement is ““The portrayal will create a particular image of the university in the minds of many people, which will erode our 70-year old record and our contribution to the nation,” Hasan said.” Jamia has a history of 88 years, and Prof Mushir did quote the same, not 70 years. See http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Arrest-of-2-students-an--isolated-incident---Jamia-VC/365418/