Haven't said anything against Dalits, words taken out of context: JNU VC clarifies amid row over remarks

By Vishu Adhana
New Delhi [India], February 22 (ANI): Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Vice Chancellor Santishree D Pandit on Sunday defended her recent remarks regarding Dalits and Blacks, saying her comments were taken out of context and misrepresented for "political purposes" by certain groups.
Her clarification comes amid protests by student organisations, including the JNU Students' Union (JNUSU), which have demanded her resignation over the remarks made in a podcast published on February 16.
In a written statement shared with ANI by the Vice Chancellor, "a large number of faculty" members also extended their "unwavering support" to Pandit, accusing the JNU Students' Union and the JNU Teachers' Association (JNUTA) of eroding deliberative discourse on campus through selective framing.
The controversy stems from Pandit's remarks in the podcast while discussing the UGC's proposed 2026 Equity (Anti-Discrimination) Regulations aimed at addressing caste-based discrimination in higher educational institutions. In a clip circulating online, she was heard saying that Dalits and Blacks "cannot progress by being permanently a victim or playing the victim card," triggering sharp reactions from student groups.
Clarifying her position while speaking to ANI over the phone, Pandit said she had not made any statement against Dalits but was speaking against what she termed "wokes" who use such identities politically.
"I am against anybody being made into a permanent victim or a permanent oppressor. That is my position," she said.
Alleging political motives behind the backlash, she added, "These student organisations do not want to deal with the question of vandalism, violence, rustication and the slogans raised against the Prime Minister and the Home Minister, which were totally unacceptable in any civilised society. Instead, they have chosen to take my remarks out of context."
On the issue of equity regulations, Pandit said she was not opposed to equity. "In fact, I am a double beneficiary -- I was among the first batches when OBC reservation was introduced, and I am also a woman. But I do not want an inequitable society where someone is judged or punished purely because of their birth identity. You do not choose your caste, religion or where you are born. It is a primordial identity. Why should anyone be punished for that?" she said.
Invoking Dr BR Ambedkar, she said, "Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar would not have agreed to an inequitable law. I greatly admire him. I was speaking in line with his philosophy. How can I be anti-Dalit?"
She further claimed that her remarks were being selectively highlighted. "If you see the entire podcast -- it is about 55 minutes long -- this portion comes towards the end. It has been totally misrepresented," she said.
Citing broader support, she added, "Even Dalit leaders such as Professor Vivek Kumar, an intellectual and advisor to the Bahujan Samaj Party, have understood my remarks correctly."
In an unsigned statement, faculty members described the controversy as a "malicious attempt" to destabilise the university and discredit Pandit's leadership. They alleged that a 33-second clip from the 52-minute podcast had been circulated selectively and accused "Leftist fringe groups" of instrumentalising the issue through JNUSU and JNUTA.
"We extend our unwavering support to Ma'am in advancing the true JNU culture rooted in inclusivity, equity, humanism, rationality and collective progress and strongly condemn the ongoing acts of false and divisive narrative building," the statement read.
Meanwhile, in a statement issued on Friday, the JNU Students' Union condemned what it termed "blatantly casteist statements" and demanded Pandit's resignation. The union alleged that her remarks reflected "a chronology of injustice, caste supremacy and perpetual systemic exclusion in universities and public spaces" and called upon student organisations across campuses to join the protest.
The Union also objected to her highlighting her association with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). In the podcast, Pandit had said, "I am proud of my affiliations with RSS. It gave me a worldview which is universal and unique. RSS taught me appreciation of difference and diversity." (ANI)