Jadavpur University in controversy after students’ religious bias protest

Kolkata: A row has erupted at JU after two students held a poster reading "There is no place for Islamophobia at Jadavpur University" while receiving their citations and certificates from the vice-chancellor during the annual convocation. The students told reporters after the convocation that during an English semester exam on Monday, an invigilator asked a third-year undergraduate female student, wearing a head scarf, to help her classmate partially remove her hijab to ascertain if she was using any wireless headphones.

The check reportedly revealed nothing suspicious. "We protest such conduct against our junior classmate, which hurt her sentiments. We did not create a ruckus, but thought such conduct is unthinkable in a place like JU, known for its liberal and secular views. So we only held a poster while receiving UG degrees at the convocation," said one of the protesting girls on Wednesday evening.

Distancing themselves from the protest, a Students’ Federation of India (SFI) leader said, "What they did is entirely their own decision. It had nothing to do with SFI's demonstration during the convocation demanding immediate student union polls, representation in ICC, or campus security. We do not support any act that may hurt the sentiments of an individual.

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Faculty members, however, rejected the allegations. A senior English department professor on Thursday said, "We deny allegations of Islamophobia. Several students were caught attempting to cheat during the exam, following which vigilance was tightened. If anyone's conduct seemed suspicious, re-checking was carried out. At least four examinees were caught using headphones last week, none of whom belonged to the minority community."

The professor added, "On that day, a student wearing a hoodie was caught using headphones by research scholars on invigilation duty. She was asked to cooperate by another third-year female student and taken to an adjacent room where no one else was present. Based on her account, the exams proceeded without objection."

One of the students who held the poster said, "It should be emphasised that the suspicion in the mind of the invigilator was unfounded." The professor also clarified, "Two other students wearing hijab, one of them differently abled, were not checked.

JU will be the last place to be levelled with such charges as Islamophobia. If teachers are targeted in this manner, it would become impossible for them to carry out their duties." While the JU did not issue a statement, Vice-Chancellor Chiranjib Bhattacharjee said the issue was being looked into. "Students have submitted a letter to me, and I am looking into it," he said.