NEW DELHI:
Jawaharlal Nehru University registrar
Pramod Kumar, in a
letter
to the
Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind
on July 5,
refuted
any
plans
to start a
course
on
‘Islamic Terrorism’
at the university. This comes a week after he had written a letter to Delhi Minorities Commissions (DMC) clarifying the same.
In a reply to a notice served by the commission, Kumar had stated that “there was no course on ‘Islamic terrorism’ proposed at the academic council meeting. He also provided a copy of a concept paper on the proposed ‘Centre for National Security Studies’ and informed DMC that JNU has no knowledge if the course was taught in any Indian or foreign universities. A committee has been formed to review comments received from the academic council members on the concept paper, he added.
Kumar provided DMC with a copy of the minutes of the 145 academic council meeting where the concept paper was discussed.
In his letter addressed to Maulana Mahmod Madani, general secretary, Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, Kumar clarified that JNU never had any plans to introduce a course on Islamic Terrorism.
Madani had writing to the minister of human resources, vice-chancellor of JNU and its chancellor expressing displeasure. He had criticised the move saying the course is “a deep conspiracy to malign the image of Islam.” He had also threatened JNU administration of legal action if the controversial decision was not reversed.
After receiving the clarification, Madani said he was optimistic that JNU would continue to maintain its secular credential and high academic standard.