In support of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students who have been resisting the displacement of the Centre for Historical Studies (CHS) library, Dr D Ravikumar, Member of Lok Sabha has written a letter to the JNU Vice-Chancellor, Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit.
MP D Ravikumar along with MP Thol Thirumavalavan reportedly played a key role in arranging a Rs 10 crore grant for the establishment of a Tamil Studies Centre in JNU by the Tamil government.
However, the JNU administration is now relocating the CHS library for the new Centre of Tamil Studies on campus.
“It's important to remember that facilities funded by the public for a specific purpose should not be repurposed without due consideration,” the politician said in the letter.
He also highlighted that theCHS library itself had secured the UGC's Departmental Special Assistance Programme (DSA) grant in the 1980s through a rigorous evaluation process that took into account faculty publications, student research and teaching.
“The grant was predominantly utilised to develop and expand the library, an essential resource for any reputable institution… I sincerely urge you to heed the concerns of historians, academics and scholars, reconsider relocating the library, and find a suitable alternative for the Special Centre for Tamil Studies,” the letter further added.
This happened so far
The students of the CHS department in the library have been protesting against the relocation of the CHS library for over a week now. They have started various social media campaigns and events at the library to prevent books from being taken away from the library.
On Tuesday, August 8, they also organised a campaign called Library wali Chai where participants served tea and indulged in discussions on the legacy and importance of the library, followed by musical performances and sloganeering.
Not only students, JNU Teachers’ Association (JNUTA), former faculty members and eminent historians have also written to the JNU administration urging them to take back their decision of relocating the CHS library which houses a vast collection of books and rare documents, many of which are no longer in print or available elsewhere.
The faculty members from the CHS department are also reportedly in talks with the VC over the issue.
