New Delhi: The Academic Council of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has passed a proposal to set up a Centre for National Security Studies which will offer a course on “Islamic Terrorism”, said a professor who attended the 145th meeting of the Council on Friday.
The special invitee to the meeting, Sudhir K Suthar who is also the office-bearer of the JNU Teachers Association (JNUTA), said that due to the communal nature of this course, some members of the Academic Council even opposed the proposal to have courses on ‘Islamic Terrorism’. “The chair passed the proposal and said the objections would be considered (later),” he added.
“Many members opposed the topic ‘Islamic Terrorism’ so as to not club any religion with terrorism, and suggested to call the phenomenon ‘religious terrorism’,” Suthar told PTI as per a report by Deccan Chronicle.
JNU Students Union (JNUSU) president Geeta Kumari criticising the move, said, “In a deeply problematic and shocking move the JNU VC also allowed the tabling of a course/topic on ‘Islamic Terrorism’ under the Centre for National Security Studies.”
“It seems the RSS-BJP’s election propaganda material will be prepared through these courses rather than studying the nature of terrorism in general,” she added.