Why JNU’s protest culture is facing quiet moment

NEW DELHI: Protests at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), including the one over the Nirbhaya incident in 2012 and against a professor accused of sexual harassment in 2018, have traditionally brought classes to a standstill, kept senior administrators confined to their offices and dominated national headlines for days.Against that record, the response of the JNU campus to allegations of sexual harassment made by 11 students this May appears “markedly subdued.” The students approached JNU’s Internal Complaints Committee (ICC), alleging inappropriate conduct, sexually suggestive remarks and, according to reports, offers of higher marks in return for sexual favours. The professor has denied the allegations, which remain under inquiry.Even after classes resumed mid-July, the complaints did not immediately lead to sustained protests. Wider public attention came months later. The accused’s identity has remained outside mainstream reporting.