‘Ethically wrong’: JNUSU, ABVP slam V-C for ‘freeloaders’ remark

In an interaction with PTI editors at the news agency’s office, JNU V-C Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit said she has issued strict instructions to the hostel administration not to allow any student to stay in hostels beyond five years. In response to a question on allegations of JNU having seen freeloaders stay on campus at the cost of taxpayer money, Pandit said, “You are absolutely right, we have a problem of freeloaders.”

The JNUSU, in an open letter on Monday, said the V-C has conveniently ignored “the lavish perks enjoyed by certain politically favoured groups on campus.”

It said, “This double standard is glaring, especially when students have to protest merely to access basic resources, only to get issued proctorial notices. The taxpayers’ money should indeed be utilised for education and research, not for propagating ideological agendas under the guise of academic activities.”

The JNUSU urged the V-C to introspect and reconsider her statement, adding, “The real freeloaders are those who exploit their positions of power for personal or political gain, while neglecting their duties to nurture and safeguard the academic integrity and welfare of the JNU community.”

Commenting on a few movies allegedly defaming the varsity’s image, the union said, “Your silence in the face of defamatory films targeting JNU students like Bastar, and Jahangir National University, speaks volumes about your priorities…These films not only misrepresent our community but also perpetuate harmful stereotypes and prejudices. As the custodian of our university’s reputation, you have failed to address such slanderous narratives.”

The Indian Express reached out to the JNU VC but she was unavailable for a comment.

Meanwhile, the ABVP’s JNU President Rajeshwar Kant Dube said, “JNU students are contributing to enrich the academic strength of JNU as well as the nation by taking leading ranks in global academic indexes like Times and QS… Calling JNU students ‘muftkhor’ is morally and ethically wrong.” Calling the V-C’s comment an attempt to malign the reputation of JNU, he said, “Such comments are morally depressing…ABVP JNU condemns and opposes such irresponsible comments by the JNU V-C.”

(With PTI inputs)