JNU teachers divided over support to student agitation

New Delhi: The teaching community at JNU is divided over the student agitation against arrest of its student union president on sedition charges, with a group of them opposing the administration while the others advocated waiting for law to takes its course.

While a section of teachers today joined the students in boycotting classes in protest against arrest of Kanhaiya Kumar and said they would take classes on "nationalism" in the varsity lawns, the other section condemned the disruption of academic functioning of the university.

"The administration is not only acting against students but also teachers and we are being openly attacked while the VC stays mum over it. The entire world is now referring to JNU as a hub of anti-nationals on basis of propaganda of few people in power. It is time we teach our students what nationalism is," said Rohith Azad, a faculty member, who was among those attacked in Patiala Court yesterday.

Slamming him for "instigating" the students for disrupting the classes, Amita Singh, Chairperson JNUs Centre for Law and Governance said, "a perception is being created that all teachers are in support of the student agitation, which is wrong. We do not advocate any such activity before the police or university enquiry is over. Teachers job is to teach and not to support students agitation".