SRINAGAR: Jammu University authorities on Friday to set up a panel to probe into its senior professor Mohammad Tajuddin after the the political science teacher has stirred controversy by labelling freedom fighter Bhagat Singh as a “terrorist” during a lecture.
Professor Manoj K Dhar, Vice-Chancellor, Jammu University, said that an inquiry committee headed by Dean (Academic Affairs) Keshav Sharma has been formed and the varsity has disassociated Professor Tajuddin from teaching till the committee submits the report.
“Some students came to me last evening and told me about this incident. They submitted a CD as proof. I’ve immediately formed an inquiry committee. A six-member committee will look into the entire incident. Let’s wait for the outcome of the inquiry committee and based on that, we’ll take further action,” Dhar added.
Tajuddin, however claimed that the video being circulated on social media resulted in the misinterpretation of his comments.
“I also consider Bhagat Singh a revolutionary. He is one of the people who sacrificed their lives for the country. I was teaching Lenin (Russian revolutionary) thought. In that, there was his brother who assassinated a Tsar and was charged with terrorism and he was hanged. To explain the concept better, there is a chapter on freedom struggle, where revolutionaries used to call the Britishers terrorists and they were also hanged. In that context, I said any state calls any violence against it as ‘terrorism’.
Someone took a 25-second video out of my two hours lecture. The terrorist word came in that, it wasn’t what I meant,” Tajuddin told ANI while clarifying the comments he made.
The professor, however, apologised for hurting people’s sentiments. “A committee has been formed and it will be clear what had exactly happened,” Tajuddin added.