RESPONSE TO A BOOK IS A BOOK, NOT AN FIR!

CSLG STUDENTS' STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH DR. THONGKHOLAL HAOKIP AND DR. JANGKHOMANG GUITE

It is with utter dismay that we learnt of an FIR registered on August 9, 2023 against Dr. Thongkholal Haokip (of Centre for the Study of Law and Governance, JNU) and Dr. Jangkhomang Guite (formerly with Centre for Historical Studies, JNU). Both of these faculty members of the JNU have co-edited a book The Anglo- Kuki War, 1917-1919: A Frontier Uprising Against Imperialism During the First World War, published by Routledge in 2018.

The copy of the FIR has not been provided by Manipur Police but media reports indicate that our professors have been charged under IPC sections 120, 121, 123, 153-A and 200, of which two are cognizable offenses liable for arrest. The complaint by an Imphal-based civil society organization Federation of Haomee has also asked for a ban on the book, along with another book on the Anglo- Kuki war by Col. Dr. Vijay Chenji. Rather than filing an intimidating FIR, this archival-based work should have been responded with a book review or discussion for constructive social dialogue.

If FIRS would be filed on academics for doing their work, which also includes working on controversial subjects, then how would the society have any understanding on issues such as insurgency, violence, ethnic conflicts and so on? Academic life involves objective treatment of subjects and issues faced by society. If they are threatened for doing their work, then such a society will become a stale society.

In the past months, there have been increasing attacks on academic freedoms. Prof. Kham Khan Suan Hausing, HoD of Political Science at HCU, was asked to appear before an Imphal court for writing about the ongoing Manipur conflict. Permission for a discussion on the Manipur conflict in JNU was arbitrarily withdrawn by the Rector in May. A paper on alleged electoral fraud in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections by Prof. Sabyasachi Das of Ashoka University was attacked by online trolls last week and the university has shamefully distanced itself from the author. Prof. K.S. James, director of the International Institute for Population Sciences, was arbitrarily suspended in July for carrying out crucial data collection for the National Family Health Survey. Two professors at IISER Mohali were served show-cause notices in July for signing a statement against the cancellation of a public discussion. Similarly, four professors at South Asian University and another at Jamia Millia Islamia have been suspended this year in blatant violation of disciplinary procedures for their academic work. Dr. Inamur Rahman, former principal of Government Law College, Indore, was charged for a book on communal violence found in the library. Such attempts to muzzle the voice of academics is a threat to the production of knowledge and we, the students of the JNU condemn the same.

In solidarity with Dr. Haokip and Dr. Guite, immediately quash the malicious FIR!

Defend academic freedom from fascist attacks!

STUDENTS OF CSLG, JNU