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As you can see, the statement criticises the admin for not supporting her and explains that the Bumble account was an attempt to illustrate biases in society.
Statement in Solidarity with Dr. Prof. Sameena Dalwai
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This Statement is addressed to the administration of O.P. Jindal Global University, the Vice Chancellor of the University, and whomsoever other authority it may concern.This Statement is undersigned by former and current students/faculty of O.P. Jindal Global University who have been fortunate enough to share space with Dr. Professor Sameena Dalwai in some form or the other, whether inside the classroom or outside. The purpose of this communication is to address the recent series of onslaughts that have been directed at Dr. Prof. Dalwai in order to bring into question her character and credibility. Numerous accusations have been levelled against her on the basis of emails, screenshots and recordings of her that have been captured and circulated without her consent. It is unfortunate and absolutely unacceptable that the email constituted a private conversation between colleagues and the screenshots and recordings were shot during class hours, while in class and in the middle of lectures, violating every form of professional and classroom decorum and discipline. What is even more unfortunate is that this is not the first time that something like this has happened, and perhaps it will not be the last time. Snippets of lectures by other professors have also previously been captured and circulated on social media, completely out of context, for the sole purpose of targeting the professor's personal or political beliefs through the means of character assassination. What is most unfortunate, and what has also encouraged such untoward behaviour among students is that the University has utterly failed in its duty to discipline the perpetrators. The erring students (and perhaps also faculty members) must be made aware that capturing and/or circulating photographs and videos of persons without their consent is a serious violation of privacy and will be met with serious consequences.
From a bare perusal of the screenshot of the email sent by Dr. Prof. Dalwai, it is quite clear that its sole purpose was to safeguard the Safe Space policy, which is sacred to the University, to any University. As the email reveals, her tolerance of slogans and events she disagrees with is a testament to her commitment towards the same. An educational institution, particularly for higher education, is truly successful if it can guarantee an open exchange of ideas between diverse kinds of persons. Its success is also marked by the students’ engagement and understanding of larger affairs which go far beyond their classrooms. Similarly, a teacher’s duty extends beyond mere completion of syllabus. It encompasses the duty of imbibing values which will encourage students to take informed, empathetic, progressive and productive decisions and actions in life. Those of us who have encountered Dr. Prof. Dalwai inside a classroom, know of her commitment towards the same. The classroom exercise of creating a Bumble account was undertaken in a similar spirit. Through the exercise, she sought to facilitate a discussion on the pervasiveness of caste, class and other identities in different spheres of one’s life. The Bumble account was deleted in the same session. Unsurprisingly, this context and background has completely been obliterated from the narrative, which only seeks to villainise Dr. Prof. Dalwai as a punishment for her personal views. It is also pertinent to note that the University follows a strict protocol of anonymous complaints (unless the complainant consents to be identified), whether it be against students or the faculty. If any person has any grievance against Dr. Prof. Dalwai, they should and must bring it to the notice of the administration, and the latter must deal with any erring faculty member according to its rules and regulations.
At this point we must also address the allegations and comments publicised by Ms. Renu W. Bhatia, the Chairperson of the Haryana State Commission for Women, though we found it unnecessary and unfit to address her in the capacity of her post. The reasons for that are three-fold. First, despite being an authority figure, instead of professionally addressing the matter with sensitivity, she has quite shamefully turned it into a spectacle and a social media trial, constantly posting defamatory material against Dr. Prof. Dalwai without giving her any opportunity to explain herself. Second, there is not one allegation against Dr. Prof. Dalwai which even prima facie points to any gender-based misconduct. Third, we refuse and refute, staunchly, the assumption that the girls and the women of this country and this University are so fragile that they will be harmed in any manner by mere discussions on politics. It is feudal, paternalistic, patriarchal and archaic to think that the dignity of a woman is preserved in her "innocence" and ignorance of world affairs, the same world of which she aspires to be an active member. Students are not empty vessels to be filled with half-baked knowledge through monologues and mindless myths. Students, irrespective of gender, make the future of this country and of the international community. Creating space for discourse, dialogue and debate on topics which plague the world at large does not constitute ‘harm in the guise of education’. It is education. It is a duty. It is a right. A constitutional one which, much like the proponents of true education, is under grave threat. Students and Professors, as they always have, must rise to the occasion to stand guard against such alarming attacks. This Statement is a humble attempt at that, and it shall serve as a record of our collective conscience.