New Delhi: Renowned economist Amit Bhaduri on Monday gave up his Professor Emeritus status at the Jawaharlal Nehru University over what he has called the disgusting way in which Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar had handled the situations as the varsity's chief, which has led to the "steady deterioration" paving the way to the university's "intellectual disintegration".
Bhaduri wrote to the V-C with respect to giving up his emeritus status, which was conferred upon him in 2002. He said that since he joined the university as a young professor in 1979, he had seen several instances of both "justified" and "unjustified" student unrest and even the shutting down of the university but now, he said the administration was not only incompetent to handle the situation but also trying to stifle the culture JNU has been known for.
He said that the administration is deliberately trying to throttle the free and lively atmosphere of debate and discussion for which JNU was known all over the country, adding that it was a matter of pride for both students and faculty at the time. "It seems to me that the current attempt by the administration at destroying that atmosphere of freedom of expression is in line with a larger and more sinister plan of which you as the head of JNU also appear to a pivotal part," he wrote to the V-C.
Bhaduri signed off by saying that this is the only way he can register his protest against the state of things at the varsity and said that he had been locked out of his allotted room in the varsity several months ago along with other emeritus professors.
"It pains me, but I feel it would be immoral on my part without registering my protest to remain a silent observer in this larger, sinister scheme of throttling dissent which is unfolding now at the University," he said.