Jamia Teacher Runs for Students’ Union President at JNU

After four years of fighting battles with the establishment, students at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) will finally be electing it’s students’ union on Thursday, March 1, 2012.

In 2008, the Supreme Court put a hold on students’ union elections, citing violations of the Lyngdoh committee’s recommendations on students’ union elections in educational institutions. But on December 8, last year, the court lifted its stay.

Besides it being a momentous occasion for JNU students, Jamia students are also taking a keen interest in the elections. However, their interest lies in the fact that one of their teachers is a presidential candidate for the JNU students’ union.

Javed Iqbal Wani is presently a guest lecturer in the department of political science and is also pursuing his PhD from JNU.

Wani’s link with Jamia is not limited to his recent recruitment as a lecturer in the department of political science. Before getting admitted into the MPhil program at JNU few years ago, Wani got his Master’s degree from the Nelson Mandela Center for Peace and Conflict Resolution at Jamia.

On Tuesday, Feb. 28, JNU held its much-talked-about presidential debate. And in this debate, Wani articulated his agenda. Although Wani is running as an independent candidate, he is being supported  by the “Struggle Committee against Lyngdoh, Privatization and Brahmanism,” the name of which, practically articulates his entire manifesto.

Wani, however, is essentially running on the anti-Lyngdoh platform. The Lyngdoh committee measures have put many restrictions on who can contest for students union elections. The limit on the age of the candidates has been a major point of contention among students.

Although many students whom Jamia Journal talked to at the event see Wani as a great candidate, they, however, believe the winner will be Sucheta De, the candidate fielded by the All India Students Association (AISA).

Scenes From the Event:

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