Outsider involvement suspected behind anti-Brahmin slogans: JNU VC Santishree Pandit

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) VC Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit on Monday said “outsiders” might be involved in the scribbling of anti-Brahmin slogans on several walls inside the campus and that further inquiry into the matter was underway.

Speaking to PTI, the vice chancellor asserted JNU is a place for everyone and nobody can use it to spread hatred against any group.

Earlier this month, the walls of Jawaharlal Nehru University's School of International Studies (SIS)- II building were defaced with graffiti asking members of Brahmin and Baniya communities to leave the campus and the country.

In the first interaction with the media over the matter, the vice chancellor termed the incident unfortunate, adding that the walls were white-washed within 24 hours.

"The incident that took place of the defacement of our walls in the School of International Studies was very unfortunate and an enquiry is underway. Immediately the walls were whitewashed and cleaned within 24 hours,” she said.

"It has come to our knowledge that outsiders might have come and done this. We are thinking of how we can take precautionary measures so that such incidents do not take place in future,” she added.

After the incident, JNU asked all its centres to install CCTV cameras. In an advisory, the university administration said it has notified that all schools and centres will have only a single entry and exit point.

The VC contended: “JNU is a place for everyone and nobody can use JNU to spread hate and discriminate against any group.”