Jammu varsity prof suspended for calling Bhagat Singh terrorist

Students boycott classes, demand termination of political science department head

I am sorry for the remark. I called him a terrorist but those who believed in nonviolence, equated him with terrorism. MUHAMMAD TAJJUDIN, head of political science department, JU

JAMMU:The head of department of political science in Jammu University, professor Muhammad Tajjudin was suspended on Friday, a day after a video clip showing him calling freedom fighter Bhagat Singh a terrorist went viral on social media.

Protests erupted on the University campus with students boycotting their classes and demanding that the professor be terminated.

Vice-chancellor of Jammu University, professor Manoj K Dhar said, “I had told the students to give evidence regarding the incident on Thursday. They have submitted a video recording of the entire incident in a CD to me.

He said, “A six-member committee headed by dean, academic affairs, will probe the incident. The committee will submit its report within seven days. Let us wait for outcome of the inquiry committee and based on that, we will take further action.”

The vice-chancellor said he has dissociated the professor from taking classes until the disposal of the probe.

“The committee will look into the matter and the students who have boycotted the classes should return”, the V-C said.

The video was recorded by a student of the department, Deepak Gupta, when the professor was giving a lecture in the class. “He could have given better examples of Afzal Guru, Ajmal Kasab, Hafiz Saeed and other terrorists... How can one call Bhagat Singh a terrorist,” Deepak said.

Another student of the political science department alleged that it was not for the first time the professor demeaned national heroes.

“He has been demeaning national heroes from every religion. We do not want a professor who is polluting the minds of students in the campus”, he said. While the group supporting him said that being a political science professor, he has to be critical while teaching the subject, the opponents accused him of deliberately calling Bhagat Singh a terrorist and demanded that he be sacked.

PROFESSOR SAYS DIDN’T MEAN TO HURT SENTIMENTS

Professor Tajjudin has apologised for his unwarranted remarks, saying it was not right on his part to say so.

“I was teaching Lenin in the class, whose brother was killed in a terror act and in that context I mentioned Bhagat Singh. Perhaps, it was not right on my part to say so. I am sorry for the remark. I called him a terrorist but those who believed in non-violence, especially Gandhians equated him with terrorism. Probably, students were not mature enough to grasp the concept.

I had no intention to hurt their sentiments. The students could have shared their concern with me rather than making a video and sharing it on social media. Probably, I went wrong and I am really sorry for it”

Meanwhile, union minister Dr Jitendra Singh, who was present in a programme at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi said a university cannot be used as a platform for anti-India baiting and that free flow of thoughts is welcome, but it has to be guided by patriotic and nationalistic commitment.

“Even in the most advanced democracies in the world, not only the local natives but even those from other countries who acquire citizenship of these countries, are careful not to utter a word, directly or indirectly, which would hurt the pride of the country in which they have settled,” he said.