By Monazir Alam,
New Delhi: When you are in power no body will raise a finger at you. But when you are out of power or going to be out of power a number of fingers will start rising. As with others this is true today with noted historian and Vice Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia Prof Mushirul Hassan. Prof Hassan has completed his five year tenure as VC of Jamia. But he has been included in the list of five contenders recommended for the coveted post at the internationally known central university by the search committee set up by the HRD ministry.
His inclusion in the list has unexpectedly divided the Jamia community – the one stood behind him as rock stone in the aftermath of the Batla encounter wherein a Jamia student was gunned down and several others were later picked up from the vicinity of the university. His announcement of legal help to the arrested Jamia students in connection with Delhi serial blasts had made him hero overnight – several thousands came to street in his leadership to protest the police highhandedness. The same VC today is being opposed for the second term. It is not that he has no supporter.
In fact both teachers and students seem evenly divided on whether Prof Hassan should be given another term for the most powerful office of the university. His tenure as VC is being analyzed by the Jamia community these days.
The issues being raised in informal discussions by the Jamia community range from the infrastructural development of the university to controversial appointments of teachers to VC Prof Hassan’s approach towards minority status of Jamia.
Prof R. Gopinath, a teaching faculty at Dept. of History denies giving credit of Jamia’s development to Mushirul Hassan during his tenure itself. This is not right to give credit of development of the university to only one person, says Gopinath. He states that it was the UPA government that allotted fund to Jamia, not only Jamia but also other universities. Prof. Gopinath remembers those days when there was no direct involvement of the VC in the appointment of teachers. It was Mushirul Hassan who made the interference of the VC office easier. R. Gopinath suggests that VC should follow the rule.
Another teacher from the faculty of Humanities & Languages, on the condition of anonymity, expressed his views. He is worried on the less percentage of Muslim students in the university. He is not happy about the academic standard of the university either. He states that a university is not known from its buildings. If it is so the Taj Mahal should be considered one of the best universities of the world.
Ghufran Jeelani, a student at Jamia, expresses more or less the same view. He is unhappy over the attitude of the administration that has failed to make an environment where admissions of Muslims are made easier. He recalls the motives of establishment of this university which say it was established for Muslims to get education. But now the situation is different. Jeelani says Jamia is becoming Taj Mahal… jise dekhne ki ijazat to hogi lekin hum wahan reh nahi sakte (which can be viewed but one can not be allowed to live in.)
Digvijay, a student at social science faculty, however praises the vice chancellor to have introduced Jamia’s secular and liberal view to the world but he does not forget to count shortcomings, one of which is the gagging of students’ voice.
Jawed Alam, president of Jamia Old Boys Association, talks about minority character of the university. Jawed criticizes VC and Jamia administration for not support the demand for establishment of its minority character. Alam says that old boys are trying to get its minority character legally. Jamia teachers association and previous students union are also supporting the demand. They are equally fighting legally and socially but with a slower speed.