NALSAR students oppose CJI Surya Kant as convocation chief guest
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Students of the National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR) in Hyderabad have urged the university to reconsider inviting Chief Justice of India Surya Kant as the chief guest for its convocation, citing his response to a petition challenging police action against protesters in Delhi, Bar and Bench reported.
A representation was first submitted to the university authorities on July 23 by 70 students from the institute’s outgoing batch, The Indian Express reported. Over the following two days, around 380 students from batches scheduled to graduate over the next five years also backed the demand to reconsider Kant’s invitation.
NALSAR has not yet announced the chief guest for the convocation. However, the incumbent Chief Justice has delivered the convocation address at the university for the past several years.
The students’ main objection concerns remarks reportedly made by Kant when a bench headed by him declined to urgently hear a petition challenging police action against protesters at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on July 20, Bar and Bench reported.
The plea was listed for an urgent hearing on July 22. Kant reportedly told the petitioners, “Don’t waste our time and don’t waste your time.”
When the petitioners’ lawyer offered to present video evidence of alleged police excesses, the Chief Justice reportedly said the bench was “not interested” in watching it. “We don’t have time to watch,” Kant was quoted as saying.
In their representation to the university authorities, the NALSAR students referred to these remarks and said they were uncomfortable receiving their degrees from a dignitary whose recent public conduct appeared dismissive of serious allegations of police brutality against protesting citizens.
The students said the convocation should reflect the university’s values, including “a commitment to constitutional rights, access to justice, and reasoned engagement with grievances”, Bar and Bench reported.
The police action took place during protests over the alleged mismanagement of several competitive examinations. The agitation, which culminated in the resignation of Bharatiya Janata Party leader Dharmendra Pradhan as Union education minister, was led by the Cockroach Janta Party political campaign.
The Cockroach Janta Party was launched following reports of remarks by Kant comparing some unemployed youngsters to “cockroaches”. The Chief Justice later said he had been misquoted by sections of the media and rejected claims that he had criticised young people in general.