Fresh complaint filed against JNU VC over alleged Dalit remarks

Referring to remarks made by the V-C about the Dalit community, Dhananjay said that a hostile atmosphere against students from Dalit and other marginalised communities still prevails.

Nearly 10 days after receiving no response from the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, former Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) president Dhananjay has submitted another complaint against vice-chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

The inaction by the commission has resulted in continued “mental agony” amongst the students belonging to the Dalit and marginalised communities.

Referring to remarks made by the vice-chancellor about the Dalit community in a podcast interview, Dhananjay said on Thursday that a hostile atmosphere against students from Dalit and other marginalised communities still prevails.

“The applicant (Dhananjay) herein is a PhD scholar, pursuing his degree from Jawarharlal Nehru University and is a person belonging from the Dalit had on February 25, preferred an application before this Hon’ble Commission bringing to the notice of your good self, the discriminatory and castiest statement made by JNU VC Santishree D Pandit...Despite the lapse of considerable time from the filing of this said complaint, no action taken report or communication has been received by the applicant till date,” Dhananjay said in a three-page email dated March 5.

He further demanded status report of the complaint filed earlier, issuance of directive for early investigation and disciplinary and legal action, including removal of the VC from her position.

The inaction by the commission has resulted in continued “mental agony” and “apprehension” amongst the students belonging to the Dalit and marginalised communities.

The matter came to light after video clippings from the podcast interview given by the VC to Sunday Gaurdian surfaced across social media platforms. Commenting on the University Grants Commission (UGC) Equity Regulations 2026, which has been stayed by the Supreme Court, in a 52-minute-long interview, the VC compared the situation of Dalits in India to that of Blacks, stating that playing the “victim card” is like a temporary drug and does not lead to any real progress. This led to scathing response, including multiple protests at JNU and sharp criticism from Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers Association (JNUTA).

On Thursday, JNUTA has written a letter addressed to the union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, demanding clarification on the ministry’s stance on her remark.

“We (JNUTA) are writing to ask you to clarify the position of the Ministry of Education and the Government of India on the now very well known and shocking remarks on caste and its role in Indian society, made by VC,” JNUTA said in a letter dated March 5.