14 TIMES NATION | Shooting The Messenger THE TIMES OF INDIA, NEW DELHI

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2014

UNCIVIL &
UNSCHOLARLY
First the AMU-VC tells students
entry of girls to the AMU library
will have “four times more boys
trooping in”. Then, by caving in to
demand from a section to ban TOI
from campus, he erodes the stature
of his chair and the university’s too
➤ The TOI report was about the
NOVEMBER 11
Women’s College oath-taking
TOI REPORTED ceremony where undergraduate
leaders of the College — that
IT FIRST is 3km away from the main
This paper reports campus — demanded a better
that undergrads of in-house library or access to the
Women’s College one on AMU’s campus: the AMU-
denied membership Maulana Azad Library
to Maulana Azad ➤ Vice-Chancellor Lt Gen
Library yet again Zameer Uddin Shah addressed
NOVEMBER 13 NOVEMBER 14
the problem with this remark: NOVEMBER 12
There’s no space... if
➤ The following days ➤ At the installation ceremony of AMUSU ➤ Allahabad High ➤ They did not want
we allow girls there
marked by marches in Kennedy Auditorium, the VC thanked Court issues order to to reveal their identity
will be four times more against media and TOI in students for their support Vice- Chancellor on because they were
boys coming in
particular. Effigies were ➤ It was then that a section of students the issue of granting asked to boycott
➤ Other media picked up the burnt and marchers demanded a “ban” on The Times of India. The undergraduate girls’ The Times of India.
story on Women’s College girls shouted slogans against Vice-Chancellor obliged without a second access to the library A source in AMU
➤ HRD minister took ‘prompt’ media for being ‘biased’ thought. His remark: ➤ Girls of Women’s confirmed, “There will
interest; condemned sexist College commented on be no TOI copies in the
➤ Angry students also burnt Aligarh Muslim University mein
remark as ‘insult to cdaughters’ condition of anonymity university”
copies of The Times of India Times of India nahi ayaega

TOI won’t be cowed NO PLACE

FOR BANS
The AMU Vc’s decision to ban girl students from its main
library and bid to muzzle this newspaper receive strong
condemnation from academics and leading citizens
WATCH WHAT AMU's VC SAID
On Nov 13 at AMU's Kennedy Auditorium

http://toi.in/amuvideo

down, truth will prevail I oppose the ban on TOI on AMU campus. And why ban only TOI? They should ban all
media that justifiably criticized the move to keep the Maulana Azad Library out of bounds
for women students. The varsity administration is behaving like an ostrich that under attack
for its illiberal step, is trying to hide its head in the sand. Instead of admitting their mistake,
History has time and again proved
such bans on media and books is
retrograde. We can’t afford to be

T
he ‘ban’ on this newspaper in Aligarh
Muslim University and the virtual ban-
ishment of our correspondent from the
campus is only the latest example of the kind
of pressure that is sought to be brought on the
media by all kinds of interest groups — politi-
cians, governments, corporate groups, and
now even universities — to ensure that they
get only favourable press.
However, the press would be failing in its
duty if they succumbed to these pressures
and did not report the truth, warts and all.
Therefore, the TOI has refused to be cowed
down by the crude threats to its brave young
lady reporter, Eram Agha, or by the current
effort to ban this newspaper on campus.
Such tactics rarely succeed in a democracy
and are often counter-productive as the bar-
rage of criticism against the AMU vice-chan-
cellor would show.
The list of individuals and institutions
that seek to muzzle the media by intimida-
tion in various forms is long and diverse.
Governments, in particular state govern-
ments, have been known to try and browbeat
newspapers or TV channels by stopping all
government advertising whenever there is
an adverse report. TOI has faced many such
bans. As a big newspaper, it may be able to
withstand the impact of these bans, but for
smaller newspapers such a choking of adver-
tising can be financially crippling.
Large corporate houses are not averse
to such arm twisting either. Political heavy-
weights often seek to browbeat journal-
ists and media houses by threatening dire
consequences. The signal in each case is
the same — rub us the wrong way at your
own peril. This is a very dangerous trend.
In a democratic society, the media is one
TIMES VIEW
of the key institutions that helps ensure
that those in positions of power — whether
they're shooting the messenger. It's sad that the mindset that opposed the creation of AMU and
criticized its founder (Sir Syed Ahmed Khan) is today claiming the varsity belongs to them
Javed Akhtar | SCRIPTWRITER-LYRICIST, RAJYA SABHA MEMBER
How can you ban girls' entry to a library on the
pretext they'd attract more boys? It speaks about the
authorities’ mindset. In no case the newspaper should have
been debarred from the campus. TOI highlighted a weird and
unacceptable practice in a prominent educational institution
Pritish Acharya | PROFESSOR, NCERT
AMU’s action smacks of intolerance, deserves
unqualified condemnation. Banning a newspaper
because it was critical of the university’s action... reflects
increasing intolerance of critical points of view
Prof Sandeep Shastri | PRO-VC, JAIN UNIVERSITY, BANGALORE
Banning a newspaper like TOI is unconstitutional.
When a media house has reported a fact, university
authorities should have corrected their mistake. Denying
girl students access to the library is gender discrimination.
I don’t support the ban on TOI on
campus. TOI should respond by reporting
discrimination in other educational institutions.
Gender discrimination is not exclusive to AMU.
Every campus has some discriminatory rules.
After TOI’s story, I’ve been contacted by two other
institutions facing gender discrimination
Kavita Krishnan | AIPWA
The person who issued such diktats is
behaving like khap panchayat. He should be
removed as he's misusing his position and acting
like a dictator in banning a newspaper
Harekrishna Deka | LITTERATEUR, FORMER DGP ASSAM POLICE
MUZZLING AMU's move is utterly wrong. Women should
regressive on the matter of gender
equity. If university authorities had
something to contend about news
published in TOI, they could've taken it
up with the newspaper’s editor. Banning
it was a most incorrect approach
Ashok Das | VC, UTKAL UNIVERSITY, BHUBANESWAR
Any exclusion on the basis of
gender can’t be justified. Banning
a newspaper for highlighting the
wrongdoing is condemnable
Shukadeb Naik | PROFESSOR OF SOCIOLOGY,
SAMBALPUR UNIVERSITY
It is shocking and disgusting. When
I was at AMU in 1978-79, there was no
restriction for girls visiting the library
Bharti S Kumar | FORMER HEAD, PATNA UNIV

A protester burns a copy of TOI in AMU
political, economic, social or educational –
are held to account. Any attempt to defang
the media is essentially anti-democratic and
must be resisted.
Such muzzling weakens not just the me-
dia, but society as a whole which it serves as
messenger and advocate. Each time a news-
paper is browbeaten into submission our
democracy gets weaker. Institutions like the
Press Council of India, therefore, have the
duty to draw a red line on threats of the na-
ture that the AMU has issued to our young
reporter and to the paper. Unfortunately, in
this instance the Council has sought to play
peace-maker rather than act as a champion
of press freedom.
As a newspaper, TOI has learnt to take
both praise and retribution in its stride. We
will, as always, go by what is right, seek to
inform and empower our readers. We will do
what is in their democratic interests, with-
out fear or favour. For, we believe that the
truth must prevail.
the MEDIA
have equal access to knowledge. Lack of
This shows the university doesn’t know how to administer
space cannot be used as an excuse to restrict
KN Ninge Gowda | REGISTRAR (EVALUATION), BANGALORE UNIVERSITY access. Country's progress depends on two
Why has AMU legs: men and women. Nation can only move
AMU’s ban on TOI is meaningless. We condemn such
administration taken this forward when both legs move together
moves. If the VC has banned newspapers, it means decision after admitting girl
he is not a sensible person. Raghunath Mashelkar | FORMER DG, CSIR, PUNE
students? Either they shouldn't
H Maheshappa | VC, VISVESVARAYA TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY, KARNATAKA have done that or the institution
should be closed till arrangements As students, girls and boys are at par. Under no
Ban on women in Discrimination on are made to accommodate all pretext should there be any discrimination. Banning
libraries just for 'lack of grounds of gender, students a newspaper in an academic institution, that too a publicly
space' is uncalled for. Space caste or religion in any funded institution is beyond comprehension
Naushaba Siddiqui | HEAD, MADRASSA
cannot be the criteria for varsity is unfortunate. Wasudeo Namdeo Gade | VC, SAVITRIBAI PHULE PUNE UNIVERSITY
SHAH-E-RAJA, LUCKNOW
denying opportunities. Will Ancient varsities like
I'm against discrimination An educational institute must create an
anybody not allow women in Nalanda and Vikramshila
against women. If there have atmosphere of equality and security. In this 21st
their homes citing space as a excelled because they
been attempts to suppress press century, where men and women are treated as equal,
reason? The Constitution tells kept doors open to all
freedom, it's a matter of concern. all must be given equal opportunities. If security is the
us to treat men and women as irrespective of caste,
It's important in a democracy that issue, then the university must ensure that they provide
equals community, religion
press freedom is not curtailed enough security
Rajan Welukar | VC, MUMBAI Ranjit Kumar Verma | PRO-VC
UNIVERSITY PATNA UNIVERSITY Madhav Gadgil | ENVIRONMENTALIST Vidya Yeravdekar | PRINCIPAL DIRECTOR, SYMBIOSIS INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY

Sonia uses Nehru’s secularism to fight BJP Left attends meet Forget this
sad chapter,
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: Congress chief

Sonia Gandhi on Monday
but says no move In a democracy,
we have to know how to
win and how to lose with
by misrepresentation and
distortion,” she said.
Given the debate on relax-
ing land acquisition law and
Katju appeals
to varsity
said “secularism” was the
glue binding India and lauded
Jawaharlal Nehru for embed-
ding it in the country, a state-
for anti-BJP front grace. Those who win
should not allow this to
go to their heads, those
MGNREGA, she added,
“Nehru rejected the ideolo-
gies of coercion that gave pri-
macy to economic develop-
Continued from P 1
who lose should not feel
ment that sought to reassert
the legacy of the first Prime
Minister under attack from
dejected. The manner of
ment over human rights.”
With its political fortunes
in the doldrums, Congress
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: CPM general sec-

the saffron parivar.
Calling “secularism” an
article of faith with Nehru,
Sonia said, “There could be
no Indianness, no India,
without secularism. Secular-
ism was, and remains, more
than an ideal. It is a compell-
ing necessity for a country as
diverse as India.”
She said Nehru was
“prescient about the conse-
quences of allowing religion
into politics. The truth of his
conviction can be seen in the
conflicts raging in various
parts of the world in the
name of religion”.
Though made in the con-
text of Nehruvian legacy, the
remarks in the presence of
former heads of government
from Asia and Africa at Neh-
ru’s commemorative confer-
ence came across as an indi-
Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, former Afghan president Hamid Karzai and
ex-PM Manmohan Singh at the 125th birth anniversary celebrations in Del-
hi on Monday. For steps to download and use the Alive app, see P 2
rect attack on BJP.
The focus showed the con-
ference as designed with the
twin objectives of pushing
back BJP on Congress mas-
cot while seeking to box the
rival in the “communal vs
secular” debate. It tied in
with the Congress’s accusa-
tions that communal ten-
sions have been on the rise
under the Narendra Modi
government and with the
presence of leaders of the
“secular” bloc including the
Left and Trinamool Con-
gress and Janata Dal splinter
groups.
Among the international
leaders present were former
presidents Hamid Karzai
(Afghanistan) and John Ku-
fuor (Ghana), Queen Mother
of Bhutan, former PM Mad-
hav Nepal (Nepal) and for-
mer Arab League leader Amr
Moussa of Egypt among oth-
ers.
Sonia recalled “decoloni-
zation” as a core tenet with
winning or losing is even
more important than the
result. It is better to lose
in the right way than to
win in the wrong way
SONIA GANDHI quotes the first
PM during Nehru’s 125th birth
anniversary celebrations
Nehru that made him the he-
ro of the developing world.
That Nehru’s aggressive
espousal could not be torn
away from the backdrop of at-
tacks from RSS-BJP became
evident early as Sonia opened
her speech to a packed Vigyan
Bhavan auditorium with the
lament over distortion of
Nehru’s message.
“Whisper of knowledge
about Nehru’s life and work
has weakened in recent years
in our country, drowned out
has latched on to Nehru’s
125th anniversary to rally de-
moralized workers. Senior
leaders acknowledged the
celebrations were always on
but the acrimonious debate
on Nehru since the Lok Sab-
ha polls has lent it a sharp
edge and given it a political
dimension.
In a loaded remark, Sonia
recalled Nehru’s words on
the eve of the first general
election in 1951 to say, “In a
democracy, we have to know
how to win and how to lose
with grace. Those who win
should not allow this to go to
their heads, those who lose
should not feel dejected. The
manner of winning or losing
is even more important than
the result. It is better to lose
in the right way than to win
in the wrong way.”
retary Pra-
kash Karat on
Monday made
it clear that
the coming to-
gether of Con-
gress, Left
Prakash Karat and Trina-
mool at a glob-
al conference on Jawaharlal
Nehru should not be seen as
emergence of anti-BJP poten-
tial secular alliance.
“Nothing more should be
read into our participation”
in the 125th birth anniver-
sary celebrations of Nehru
organized by Congress, Karat
said. He attended the meeting
along with party colleague
Sitaram Yechury. The confer-
ence was attended by Sonia
Gandhi, Trinamool Congress
chief Mamata Banerjee, for-
mer prime minister and JD
(S) chief H D Deve Gowda, JD
(U) president Sharad Yadav,
CPI’s D Raja and NCP general
Event brings
‘secular’ bloc
on one dais
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
New Delhi: The “secular”
bloc has given a mixed re-
sponse to the Congress bid to
use the Nehru conference to
project an anti-BJP solidar-
ity even though the presence
of Janata Dal outfits and the
Left enthused the party.
West Bengal chief minis-
ter and Trinamool Congress
chief Mamata Banerjee and
CPM boss Prakash Karat
were among the political
heavyweights who attended
the international conference
on Monday. Congress had a
bitter split with TMC and
CPM during the UPA regime.
Among others who were
in Vigyan Bhavan were
JD(S) chief H D Deve Gowda,
R
aghunath Mashelkar,
scientist and former
director-general of
CSIR, on Monday criticized
AMU for its refusal to allow
girls in the library. “AMU’s
move is utterly wrong,” he
said. “Women should have
equal access to knowledge
everywhere. Lack of space
or resources cannot be used
as an excuse to restrict ac-
cess to one segment. The
country’s progress has two
legs — men and women —
and can only move forward
when both legs move
together.”
Meanwhile, Press Coun-
Katju went on to add
that the VC should treat
the TOI reporter as a
daughter and students
should treat her as
sister, and forget
the ‘sad chapter’

In Delhi for Cong event, Didi calls on LK, Jaitley secretary D P Tripathi.
Karat said he had attend-
ed the meeting since “our
party recognizes the enor-
JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav,
RJD’s Jai Prakash Narayan
Yadav, CPI’s D Raja, NCP’s
D P Tripathi while SP, BSP

‘Invitees had rejected

Mohua.Chatterjee
@timesgroup.com
New Delhi: If on one hand
Mamata Banerjee is making
up with old ally Congress,
two years after the split, and
making overtures to arch ri-
val CPM, on the other she al-
so seems to be bringing down
her level of confrontation
with the Narendra Modi gov-
ernment at the Centre.
In the capital after nine
months on Congress chief
Sonia Gandhi’s invitation to
attend a conference to mark
Nehru’s 125th birth anniver-
sary, West Bengal chief min-
ister on Monday made an un-
scheduled visit to veteran
BJP leader L K Advani’s
house, to see his ailing wife
Kamala, taking political cir-
cles by surprise.
Incidentally, the function
to commemorate Nehru
birth’s anniversary, saw Ma-
mata in the company of Left
leaders Prakash Karat, Sita-
ram Yechury and D Raja.
The Bengal CM, who has
been under pressure from
the Centre on the Saradha
chit fund scam and Burdwan
episode, had also planned to
meet ministers in the Modi
government, she told report-
ers here on Monday. “I would
At the Nehru event in New Delhi on Monday, Mamata was seen
sharing notes with Communist veterans Sitaram Yechury and D Raja
also like to meet Arunji (Jait-
ley) and Rajnathji (Singh). I
have heard that Arunji was
also not well,” she said, when
asked about her sudden deci-
sion to call on Advani.
Later, she called on the fi-
nance minister. It is learnt
that she invited him for a
global industry summit in
Kolkata and discussed finan-
cial matters of the state with
him. Despite her calling on
BJP leaders, Mamata did not
shy away from taking on the
saffron party which is
emerging as a contender in
Bengal for the first time in
the state’s political history.
Mamata spoke of all anti-
communal forces coming to-
gether under one umbrella.
Alleging that BJP was “try-
ing to incite communal vio-
lence,” the CM said, “Congress
committed mistakes because
of which they were voted out
of power. The BJP is ruling In-
dia with only 29%votes. They
won because regional parties
didn’t fight unitedly. If region-
al forces come together, the
BJP will lose.” She added that
“Congress should respect the
regional parties and allow
them political space.”
For the full report, log on
to www.timesofindia.com
mous contribution of Nehru and Dravidian outfits gave
to the making of a secular the meeting a miss.
Indian state and his role in Congress may feel happy
Nehru in his lifetime’ establishing a parliamentary
democratic system. This is a
legacy we should all com-
that its first attempt to cobble
an anti-BJP grouping showed
initial results. However,
TIMES NEWS NETWORK Left’s anger against him was memorate”. In the same CPM’s Karat made it clear cil of India chief Markanday
further fuelled by the invoca- breath he added, “The Com- that his party’s presence was Katju made an appeal to “all
New Delhi: BJP on Monday tion of the Article 356 to dis- munists have been a critic out of recognition for Neh- concerned in the recent
mocked Congress for seek- lodge the first-ever democrat- of the decades of Congress ru’s contribution to the coun- AMU episode” on Monday
ing to use the 125th birth ically elected communist rule after Independence. We try and should not be read and said, “In my opinion,
anniversary celebrations of government led by E M S have been consistent oppo- with any political motive. threats and intimidation to
Jawaharlal Nehru to rally Namboodiripad in Kerala,” nents of Congress rule.” It also comes in the back- mediapersons are totally un-
forces opposed to NDA, Jaitely said responding to the Yechury took on Trina- drop of Janata Dal splinter warranted and unaccept-
saying many of the invitees presence of members of mool Congress, setting at rest groups announcing that they able in a democracy.” The
had rejected the first PM CPM and parties like JD(U) speculation that had risen fol- were looking for a political PCI chief went on to add that
when he was alive. and RJD, which claim lowing Banerjee’s earlier arrangement amongst them- the vice-chancellor should
I&B minister to subscribe to Lo- comment that she was not selves to counter the rise of treat The Times of India re-
Arun Jaitley high- hia’s thought. averse to any talks with the BJP and could even arrive porter as a daughter and stu-
lighted the presence “Those who re- Left to contain communal at a decision to merge their dents should treat her
of Marxists and Lo- jected Panditji’s poli- forces. Yechury accused the outfits into one. as sister, and forget the
hiaites who were tics in his lifetime rival outfit of “opening the The test for any anti-BJP “sad chapter”.
staunchly opposed are a part of the show doors” of West Bengal to gathering would be the com- Many others, though,
to Nehru to say that of strength at this BJP by pandering to mi- ing Parliament session in were in no mood to mince
Congress sought Arun Jaitley symposium,” Jaitley nority fundamentalism. which crucial legislations their words or treat the mat-
them out because it said before asking, “The growing BJP menace in are lined up for passage. ter in such paternalistic
wanted to mask its “depleted “Has the guest list been influ- Bengal is a direct contribu- Given the context, Con- terms. “It's nothing less than
fortunes”. He said others enced by the current deplet- tion of Trinamool Congress. gress chief Sonia Gandhi’s a Taliban act,” author Sara
who were part of the event ing fortunes of the Congress She is the one who opened the focus on “secularism” as Abubakar said in Bangalore.
would have been ideological- party?” “The symposium is doors to allow BJP to enter Nehru’s defining principle “I don’t understand why
ly “disinherited”, a remark being attended by some who Bengal,” he said. Yechury ac- appeared aimed at domestic the state government, gover-
which, BJP sources said, was rejected Nehruvian politics cused her of “pandering to politics. Her bid to bring nor and President of India
meant to question the claim during Nehru's lifetime and minority fundamentalism” the issue to the centrestage in are silent on the issue. How
of Congress’s leadership. others whom he may have and “creating objective con- the wake of BJP’s ascent to can a university ban girls
“Lohia stood for complete ideologically disinherited,” ditions for the growth of ma- power led observers to argue from entering the library
negation of Nehruvian poli- the BJP member added. jority communalism”. Both that it could be the party’s and now ban the Times of In-
tics. He rejected Panditji’s poli- For the full report, log on kinds of fundamentalism future strategy to take on dia. Is there a Constitution?”
tics during his lifetime. The to www.timesofindia.com feed on each other, he said. the saffron party. she added.