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| JU says no to inquiry; intimidates, threatens Early Times | | Purchase of sports equipment! | | SVO, CJ should take suo-moto cognizance
Syed Junaid Hashmi
Early Times Report
JAMMU, Dec 31: In what could be termed as comedy of errors, literate and highly qualified faculty of Jammu University has issued a threatening letter to Early Times newspaper for carrying out a news item on the alleged purchase of sports equipments at exorbitant rates.
Issued vide letter no.PA/REG/14-15/312 Dated 26-12-2014, Registrar of Jammu University Prof. Manoj Dhar has accused Early Times newspaper of levelling allegations against the Department of Physical Education regarding the purchase of sports equipments at exorbitant rates and engaging retired employees, little realizing the fact that the story was based on an alleged complaint filed by an RTI activist with State Vigilance Organisation (SVO), contents of which have been shared with one of the reporters of Early Times.
Early Times has nowhere attributed the allegations to itself but clearly stated that an RTI activist, who requested anonymity, has allegedly sent a written complaint to SVO, seeking enquiry into the alleged gross manipulation of rules and regulations by Department of Physical Education of Jammu University, which is headed by a faculty member of Economics Department Prof. Dhian Singh Bhau. He has been heading the department since the last more than five years for the reasons best known to the respective Vice-Chancellors (VCs).
Registrar Prof. Manoj Dhar who is essentially a scientist has called the story totally concocted, fabricated, false, malicious, contrary to records and not based on facts but without providing any concrete proof to prove the same. What should have been a detailed rebuttal of the story if it was not based on facts has been turned into a threatening letter, wherein attempt has been seemingly made to intimidate the Editor-in-Chief of Early Times with legal consequences for giving voice to the allegations being levelled by RTI crusaders and even colleagues of Prof. Dhian Singh.
Registrar has requested the Editor-in-Chief to refrain from reporting 'false news' while adding that this damages reputation of the University, thus acting as Judge even before the case is to be heard by the Court of Law. The Registrar's office has used the word 'refrain' which even if written after requested speaks in volumes about the manner in which University has decided to take up the issue of a news item with a prestigious daily of Jammu and Kashmir.
This has been followed by another line in which the University has asked the newspaper to provide the material and the source on the basis of which the news has been published, something which even the courts do not demand from reporters of newspapers. Despite having engaged a brilliant lawyer, the University has seemingly not even bothered to ask him once how to draft a rebuttal or notice to a newspaper for carrying a news items based on allegations levelled by someone.
Threatening to take legal action against the newspaper, Registrar's office as called upon the Editor-in-Chief neither of the newspaper to apologise and publish facts which have neither been communicated verbally nor in written form. In what could be easily termed as an attack on the independence of an Editor and a reporter, the Registrar's office has asked Editor of Early Times to take all measures to clarify what University perceives as wrong reporting, thus indirectly asking him to appear before the Registrar and write what he perceives is factual position.
No law allows a University to call Editor of a newspaper to testify before it for a news item which is essentially based on a complaint which has been sent to SVO and on which the organisation is yet to act. Early Times newspaper anticipated SVO to begin the investigations by now since the allegations have now come in public domain and are of serious nature. The newspaper has nowhere in its reports pronounced the accused guilty or acted judge but simply brought forth the factual position, as mentioned in the letter written by an RTI activist.
It is perceived widely that the letter is intended at preventing the reporters of Early Times from reporting the wrongs in Jammu University by threatening to seek appropriate remedy both under civil and criminal law. A copy of the report appended with the letter has not seemingly been read in-depth since if the same would have been done, Registrar who is otherwise known for his honesty and integrity, would not have issued such a derogatory and threatening letter.
Report has nowhere levelled allegations against any individual but referred to purchases made by the department at exorbitant rates, something which can be rebutted only after SVO probes the purchases and issues clean chit to the Physical Education Department. Prior to this, threatening Early Times with legal action is like killing the messenger for having brought the message. The Registrar and acting VC Prof. R.D. Sharma instead of ordering a probe want to silence Early Times for publishing something which is essentially based on a complaint of an RTI activist. Now that the letter has been sent and Early Times has been threatened, the newspaper would soon share with its readers the reply of RTI applications filed in this regard besides unveiling the stories behind the mercurial rise of ex-student leaders and dullards to top positions in the University.
Early Times further requests Press Council of India to look into this open intimidation and threat to an independent newspaper by an institution of higher learning besides requesting High Court of Jammu and Kashmir to take sue-moto cognizance of the news report published by Early Times on December 16, 2014 and order an in-depth probe into the all purchases made by Department of Physical Education Department during the last 5 years apart from seeking detailed account of classes taken by Prof. Dhian Singh Bhau since the day he has left Economics department of DDE. |
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