JNU conflict: University cancels seminars by Palestine, Lebanon and Iran envoys

In the aforesaid email, Baidya besides announced the cancellation of the November 7 seminar connected the unit successful Palestine, which was to beryllium addressed by Palestinian Ambassador Adnan Abu Al-Haija, and the November 14 seminar connected the concern successful Lebanon, scheduled to beryllium addressed by the Lebanese Ambassador, Dr Rabie Narsh.

Sources astatine the Iranian and Lebanese Embassies told The Indian Express that the decision to cancel the events was taken by the university, and they were unaware of the reasons. The Palestinian Embassy did not respond to substance messages oregon telephone calls.

When contacted by The Indian Express, Baidya declined to comment.

University sources attributed the cancellations to concerns raised by elder module members astatine the School of International Studies (SIS) (under which the Centre for West Asian Studies operates), regarding imaginable protests that specified seminars connected polarising issues could provoke connected campus.

“The intent of specified seminars is to summation insights into the perspectives of West Asian countries amidst the existent geopolitical climate. However, determination were concerns astir however the field mightiness react,” said a assemblage source.

In a connection to chairpersons of each SIS Centres connected Thursday, SIS Dean Amitabh Mattoo, portion reiterating an earlier message, said: “We are surviving successful a charged planetary atmosphere, wherever sentiments tin get easy inflamed. This is to petition you to instrumentality the Dean into assurance earlier you invitation immoderate diplomat to the School for immoderate nationalist event. Please besides guarantee that immoderate idiosyncratic module inaugural successful this respect is routed done you. We besides privation to guarantee that each visitant to the School, particularly astatine the Ambassadorial level, is accorded due protocol. SIS has ever stood for maintaining the highest standards of world state and excellence portion ensuring that the integrity of our platforms are not violated oregon exploited by vested interests.”

When reached for comment, Mattoo directed inquiries to Sameena Hameed, Chairperson of the Centre for West Asian Studies. Hameed said the seminar with the Iranian Ambassador had been postponed connected Wednesday, portion the different 2 seminars were not “officially scheduled” by the Centre.

“The seminars for the Palestinian Ambassador’s speech and the Lebanese Ambassador’s speech were not officially scheduled by the Centre. As for today’s seminar with the Iranian Ambassador, the Centre had communicated that it would beryllium postponed due to the fact that it was organised astatine the precise past minute, and we were not successful a presumption to travel the required protocols to big the Ambassador. There whitethorn person been immoderate miscommunication astatine immoderate level,” she said.

“…These Ambassadors person been coming to our assemblage for a agelong time, and they volition proceed to travel and interact with students,” Hameed added.