JNU rector AK Dubey running two NGOs from university address, allege teachers

NEW DELHI : A section of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) teachers has alleged that rector Ajay Kumar Dubey is running two NGOs from his university address in violation of rules, an accusation rejected by Dubey. Dubey said a senior authority is vulnerable to such kind of accusations on the "highly politicised" JNU campus. Under the name of 'Avvaiyaar Samvaad Forum' (ASF), a section of teachers, who wished to remain anonymous, has been circulating purported documents through WhatsApp to faculty members, related to the two NGOs run by Dubey claiming that they are in violation of various guidelines.

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In its bulletin circulated among faculty members last month, the ASF claimed that Dubey, who is rector-I of the university, committed "financial mismanagement" and "misused his power and position for personal and professional gains". Alleging that there are two NGOs registered with JNU address, the teachers claimed that Dubey is the president of one and the secretary of the other. The Organisation for Diaspora Initiatives (ODI) and the African Studies Association of India (ASAI), the two NGOs in question, have been registered with their offical address being JNU campus, the ASF said. "The address of registration of the NGO Organisation for Diaspora Initiatives is "5-Dakshinapuram, JNU, New Delhi which is a residential property of JNU that is allotted to Prof Dubey for the purpose of residence only... Dubey is the president of the Organisation for Diaspora Initiatives," it said.

They said that according to the House Allotment Rules, the employee to whom a residence has been allotted shall not use the premises for any other purpose other than residence. "Surpassing all the rules and regulation, without taking No Objection Certificate from the University, Prof Dubey got his NGO registered at his official residences. There is no member appointed by JNU on the Board of Members of the NGO. The NGO Organisation for Diaspora Initiatives received grants from various ministries and overseas agencies," it said.

NGOs at JNU

Regarding the other NGO, the ASF said that Dubey is the secretary of the NGO African Studies Association of India, which is running its office from the School of International Studies. "To best of our knowledge and belief, JNU does not provide office space to any NGO," the ASF said in its bulletin.

When asked, Dubey said he was not aware about the existence of the ASF and said both the organisations have published reputed journals and are not registered in JNU. "JNU campus is highly politicised . If you are an authority, you are likely to face allegations. Regarding the charges against the NGOs, none of them are registered at my house or office address," he told PTI. Dubey stressed that the addresses are just "the correspondence addresses as I am also office bearer in each of them". "The two NGOs are renowned and have published two world class academic journals under SAGE and Brill Publications, Netherlands. They have received international funding as they have FCRA. Both societies are subject related societies, one for African Studies and the other for Diaspora Studies," he said.

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ASAI has Africa Review (Brill) and Insight on Africa (Sage) journal and ODI has Diaspora Studies (Brill). "Both journals are of repute in their academic field. The allegations are baseless. One of the NGOs is registered in Roop Nagar, near Delhi University and the other in Vasant Kunj area. None has registration in JNU. Both are registered as all India non-profit societies," he added. Stressing that even for the ASAI secretariat to be at African Studies Centre in university, he said that it was permitted in 2004 by the then Dean of School of International Studies who is competent authority for that matter.