Scholars criticize the purported ‘harassment’ of a professor Sameena Dalwaia Jindal Global Law School, urging the withdrawal of the FIR

Scholars Rally Behind Professor Facing Allegations

Over 500 academics worldwide are expressing solidarity with a faculty member at a private university in Haryana who is currently embroiled in a police case related to alleged student harassment. The academics contend that the professor, Sameena Dalwai, is facing unwarranted “persecution” based on her religious identity and political beliefs.

Call for FIR Withdrawal

In a collective statement, the academics are calling for the withdrawal of the First Information Report (FIR) filed by the Haryana State Commission for Women (HSCW) against Sameena Dalwai. Dalwai serves as a faculty member at Jindal Global Law School (JGLS), affiliated with O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) in Sonipat.

Controversial Teaching Experiment

The controversy stems from Dalwai’s unconventional teaching approach. On September 23, she enlisted the help of students to create a profile on a dating app with a fictional identity. The purpose was to analyze responses and examine the impact of caste, class, sexuality, and religion. Unfortunately, videos of the experiment circulated on social media, leading to the filing of an FIR by the HSCW. Dalwai now faces allegations of outraging the modesty of female students.

Notable Figures Join the Cause

Prominent signatories of the statement include historian Ramachandra Guha, Vasuki Nesiah of New York University, Ania Loomba from the University of Pennsylvania, and Shirin Rai of SOAS University in London. The global academic community is rallying behind Dalwai, emphasizing the importance of defending academic freedom and addressing the complexities surrounding the case.

Read the Statement

“We are troubled to see that the university did not follow any due process to establish truth, innocence or guilt. Without any enquiry or an opportunity to defend herself, Dr Dalwai was served a showcause notice and thereafter a warning on twin charges of ‘harming the dignity of women’ and ‘discrimination of students on religious and ideological basis’. By succumbing to political pressure thus, Jindal university has set a damning precedent for future attacks on academic freedom,”

“A Women’s Commission charging her with ‘harming the dignity of women’ is an utter travesty. Sameena Dalwai comes from a mixed family of many religions and languages. To those of us who know her, she exhibits a truly global personality and deep understanding of the diversity of cultures that is India. We believe she is being persecuted for her Muslim identity and her political beliefs, by people who define India with a narrow, ignorant lens,”