Delhi University cancels RJD MP Manoj Jha’s lecture, then V-C says he will be reinvited

V-C says he was unaware why 4 September event was cancelled. DU had invited Jha, a professor at the university, to address faculty as part of its series of online refresher courses.

File photo of RJD Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha | ANI

New Delhi: The Delhi University courted controversy Wednesday over its flip-flop on a lecture for which it had initially invited RJD Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha, who is a professor of social work at the institution.

The DU’s Centre for Professional Development in Higher Education invited him to address virtually the faculty members attached with the central university on 4 September as part of its series of online refresher courses on Social Work and Social Sciences beginning 22 August.

Jha received the invite, a copy of which ThePrint has seen, from the centre director Geeta Singh on 18 August. The RJD MP, who has been teaching in DU since 2002, was to speak on the topic — ‘Political Social Work: New Opportunity for Practice’.

“We shall be obliged for your kind consent to be the Resource Person for this course,” read the invitation. However, on Wednesday, Singh mailed Jha, informing him that “due to some unavoidable circumstances”, the lecture was cancelled.

Jha told ThePrint that the authorities provided no reason for the cancellation.

“It is not about an individual. What worries me the most is that I speak regularly at Parliament, and also write pieces for various publications where I speak my mind. But it seems I cannot address the teachers of the university where I also teach, hold classes. What is this fear? I will also write to the prime minister and the education minister because I cannot be a mute witness to the death of a university,” Jha said.

DU vice-chancellor Yogesh Singh claimed that he was not aware as to what led to the cancellation and added that Jha would be invited to speak again.  “He is an accomplished professor and will definitely be invited to speak (at the event). There is no question about it,” the V-C said.

Meanwhile, Jha said two DU colleges — Shri Ram College of Commerce, and Hindu College — had cancelled their invites in 2022 to him for programmes related to freedom of expression and democracy”, citing a “change” in the nature of the events.

“Sharing something which made me uncomfortable about the ‘state of affairs’ in my own University. I was invited to speak by two colleges. However, the day before I was ‘informed’ that the ‘nature’ of the events have changed and hence invitation withdrawn. No Regrets..Just Worried…(sic),” he had tweeted.

“Apart from that experience, I have not faced any such cancellations in my journey as a teacher in the DU, which I had joined as an associate professor in 2002,” Jha said.

(Edited by Tony Rai)