JNU Professor Quits Govt Panel On Economy, Says 'Disturbed' With Situation In University

A Jawaharlal Nehru University professor has quit the government panel tasked to review the economic data citing the situation in the university.

Dr CP Chandrasekhar, professor at Centre for Economic Studies and Planning, School of Social Sciences in JNU resigned from the 28 member Standing Committee on Statists (SCES) on Monday, a day before their first meeting. The committee was constituted in December, to improve the quality of government data amid criticism over political interferences.

In an email, to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, he said that he is “disturbed” by the “situation” at the campus referring to the attack on students and professors by the masked men.

“The JNU’s incident on Sunday has further undermined the faith in the system. It shows that we are now living in a different world and it’s hard to work with a government in which you have lost faith,” the economist wrote, the Business Standard reported.

In the letter, he also mentioned the controversy surrounding the surveys that have been withheld by the government on jobs, economy, and consumer expenditure.

He called the situation “unfortunate” and said the political interferences have reduced the autonomy of institutions.

“It is unfortunate that political pressures have reduced their autonomy now, and efforts to consolidate a well-designed system are being subverted. In these circumstances, I will not be able to serve on this committee,” he wrote in the email.

The Jawaharlal Nehru University campus was taken over by at least 50 masked miscreants armed with sticks and rods on Sunday, January 5.

Around 30 students and 12 teachers were injured as the masked men assaulted students and teachers and vandalised hostels. In the attack – JNU Students’ Union president Aishe Ghosh was beaten with an iron rod over the eye. The students and teachers alleged that the miscreants were from Akil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad the student wing of Bharatiya Janata Party.

Also Read: ‘Masked Mob Was Bloodthirsty, Faculties Were Hit By Rods’: JNU Professor Recalls Horror