Cancellation of seminars featuring the envoys of Iran, Lebanon and Palestine is a reflection of the “threat culture” at the Centre for West Asian Studies in Jawaharlal Nehru University, said the former seminar coordinator who was relieved of her responsibility on October 30 in the backdrop of controversy over the seminars. The centre is part of the School of International Studies (SIS) at the university.
Sima Baidya also informed that she has lodged a complaint against the chairperson of the centre, Dr. Sameena Hameed, and has sought security from the university authorities as she has been intimidated by certain colleagues.
“Cancellation of three seminars is the reflection of prevailing threat culture in the Centre for West Asian Studies. Students and teacher(s) like me have been bullied and threatened for quite some time, more than two and a half years,” said Dr. Baidya in a remark after the centre held a seminar under the new seminar coordinator on November 7 on ‘How the U.S. Presidential Election May influence Events in West Asia’.
Dr. Baidya last Friday (August 1, 2024) formally complained to the Dean, SIS and the Proctor against Dr. Hameed accusing her of acting contrary to India’s foreign policy goals as India and Iran have cordial relations and the leaders of both sides met on the sidelines of the latest BRICS summit in Kazan. She informed that the seminars were cancelled as she was pressured to do so by her colleagues including Dr. Hameed.
Dr. Baidya also alleged that after the recent controversy, she has formally requested for security from the university authorities.
Published - November 07, 2024 11:09 pm IST
