NEW DELHI: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha on Wednesday claimed that his lecture at Delhi University was cancelled without citing any reason. Urging the Education Ministry to investigate the matter, Jha said that he would write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to highlight the issue.
Jha, who is also a professor at the DU Department of Social Work, said that the Centre for Professional Development in Higher Education invited him to serve as the resource person for a refresher course in social work and social sciences scheduled for September 4.
Later, he received another letter on Wednesday from CPDHE director Geeta Singh mentioning that his lecture had been cancelled due to “some unavoidable circumstances,” even though the rest of the program will run as per the schedule.
“Whatever is happening is not as per the rules and regulations. On August 18, I received a letter that I had to give a lecture on September 4. And today I received an email saying that your lecture has been cancelled due to unknown reasons,” he said.
He added, “This is my university, here I am a professor, I have studied here and here I teach, despite who is getting offended? I have communicated this to the Vice Chancellor. I will raise this with the Prime Minister,” the RJD leader said.
“The programme has not been cancelled; only my lecture is cancelled. I demand to the government that this move of the Centre for Professional Development for Higher Education (CPDHE) should be investigated. I am hurt,” he added further.
He continued, “Mr. Education Minister I can speak in Parliament, speak on streets and write in dailies but I cannot lecture the professors. What kind of fear is this? Will we become Vishwaguru like this? One cannot turn the university into well. I will write to the Prime Minister, and Education Minister and will apprise them of what is happening under their nose. Such practice has to stop. We cannot see the university dying.”
Jha, who is also a professor at the DU Department of Social Work, said that the Centre for Professional Development in Higher Education invited him to serve as the resource person for a refresher course in social work and social sciences scheduled for September 4.
Later, he received another letter on Wednesday from CPDHE director Geeta Singh mentioning that his lecture had been cancelled due to “some unavoidable circumstances,” even though the rest of the program will run as per the schedule.
“Whatever is happening is not as per the rules and regulations. On August 18, I received a letter that I had to give a lecture on September 4. And today I received an email saying that your lecture has been cancelled due to unknown reasons,” he said.
He added, “This is my university, here I am a professor, I have studied here and here I teach, despite who is getting offended? I have communicated this to the Vice Chancellor. I will raise this with the Prime Minister,” the RJD leader said.
“The programme has not been cancelled; only my lecture is cancelled. I demand to the government that this move of the Centre for Professional Development for Higher Education (CPDHE) should be investigated. I am hurt,” he added further.
He continued, “Mr. Education Minister I can speak in Parliament, speak on streets and write in dailies but I cannot lecture the professors. What kind of fear is this? Will we become Vishwaguru like this? One cannot turn the university into well. I will write to the Prime Minister, and Education Minister and will apprise them of what is happening under their nose. Such practice has to stop. We cannot see the university dying.”
