Was pressured to cancel seminars of West Asian countries' ambassadors: JNU official

New Delhi, Nov 7 (PTI) Following a controversy over the JNU allegedly cancelling seminars of ambassadors from West Asian countries, a former seminar coordinator of the university has filed a complaint against the Centre for West Asian Studies chairperson, claiming that she was pressured to call off the events.

She has also demanded security from the JNU citing safety concerns, after her personal details were allegedly leaked by a university official.

Three seminars by the Iranian, Palestinian and Lebanese ambassadors, who were to speak on the ongoing conflict in West Asia, were allegedly cancelled by the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) last month, without citing any reason.

The JNU's School of International Studies (SIS), under which the Centre for West Asian Studies (where the ambassadors were scheduled to speak) functions, has set up an inquiry committee to look into the matter, after it received a complaint from the programme coordinator, who was replaced as she was blamed for miscommunication by the centre, leading to the cancellation of the events.

Invitations to Iranian Ambassador Iraj Elahi for a seminar on October 24, the Palestinian ambassador on November 7 and the Lebanese ambassador on November 14 were confirmed by the respective embassies.

In a complaint to the Dean of SIS, Amitabh Mattoo, the replaced programme coordinator, Sima Baidya, has alleged that she was forced to cancel the confirmed events by the chairperson of the centre, Sameena Hameed, and was wrongfully replaced by a junior colleague after the move drew criticism.

"Regarding cancellation of three seminars in our centre, I would like to inform you ... on October 22 and 23, 2024, there was some problem regarding the cancellation of three Thursday seminars organised by me as the seminar coordinator. When the seminar notice was issued on Tuesday, October 22, 2024, I immediately received several calls from Prof. Sameena Hameed, threatening me to cancel the seminar to be held on October 24, 2024 at 11 am," Baidya has alleged in her complaint, stating that she finally notified the cancellation of the event after instructions from Mattoo.

She has dismissed the statements given by the centre following the cancellation. The centre had claimed that the step had to be taken due to miscommunication on the part of the coordinator and failure to follow security protocols.

"There was no miscommunication on my part as the seminar coordinator. There was no last-minute arrangement. Moreover, no logistics are involved in inviting the foreign/Iranian ambassador. Sameena Hameed painted such a distorted picture before you and you were in a hurry to stop it," Baidya has said, adding that previously, ambassadors from these countries as well as other countries addressed seminars at the JNU, without any security protocol explicitly designed by the university.

In an interview with PTI last month, Mattoo claimed that the programme coordinator had invited the ambassadors without consulting the centre, leading to logistical challenges. He had also claimed that the invitations to the Palestinian and Lebanese ambassadors were not officially routed.

In her complaint, Baidya has refuted this claim, saying: "I have documentary evidence that the other two seminars -- by Palestinian and Lebanese ambassadors -- were confirmed." She has claimed that the programme coordinator is allowed to independently invite people and organise an event, without consulting the centre.

In a separate complaint to the vice-chancellor and registrar, Baidya has alleged that at an emergency meeting called by Hameed after the events were cancelled, she was subjected to violent behaviour by the chairperson and later, wrongfully replaced by a junior colleague, without holding consultations with the centre.

The centre appoints programme coordinators rotationally. The programme coordinators are responsible for holding weekly Thursday seminars and are nominated unanimously by the centre.

Baidya has alleged that her residential address was leaked by a university official, after which she was "hounded" by the media. She has requested the VC to provide her with a security cover as she fears for her safety.

"With grave concern and fear, I would like to inform you that on October 24, 2024 at 10 am, the chairperson of the Centre for West Asian Studies (CWAS), Prof. Sameena Hameed, called an emergency centre meeting and displayed violent behaviour in the meeting.

"I have been subjected to mental stress and torture. Therefore, I am writing to you to look into the matter and take necessary action and provide me with security," she has written to the VC.

She has further asked the Dean of SIS to remove Hameed as the chairperson of the centre while the inquiry report is pending to prevent her from influencing it.

Baidya was replaced by a junior colleague, Vrushal T Ghoble, by the chairperson in October, according to an e-mail sent to the faculty members.

Responding to the complaint, JNU VC Santishree D Pandit said, "There is no threat to anyone's security on the campus. The complainant had sought an approval for organising an event on a different topic but later, invited ambassadors to speak on the West Asian conflict. The centre has already set up a committee to look into the matter." There was no immediate response from Hameed and Mattoo on the allegations. PTI