Webinar on ‘Indian occupied Kashmir’ at JNU cancelled after outrage

On Friday (October 29), the administration of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) cancelled a webinar on Jammu and Kashmir after the occasion referred to the Union territory as ‘Indian occupied Kashmir.’ The webinar was organised by the Centre for Women’s Studies (CWS).
As per studies, the webinar was organised with out looking for the permission of the varsity administration. A professor of anthropology and gender research named Ather Zia was scheduled to talk on the occasion. The contentious webinar was titled, ‘Gendered Resistance and Fresh Challenges in Post-2019 Kashmir.’ It was accompanied by a discover, which learn, “This talk will draw and build upon the ethnography of gendered resistance to Indian occupation in Kashmir.”
Webinar titled ‘Gendered Resistance&Fresh Challenges in Post-2019 Kashmir’ was to be organised by Centre for Women Studies. The JNU admin instructed the occasion to be cancelled: JNU VC MJ KumarThe Notice for webinar mentioned- ‘gendered resistance to Indian occupation in Kashmir’ pic.twitter.com/dhI2OmRcm3— ANI (@ANI) October 29, 2021
The poster of the occasion, which was scheduled to begin from 8:30 pm on Friday, had gone viral on social media. When netizens objected to it, the JNU administration sprung into motion and cancelled the webinar.
In an announcement launched by JNU Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar, he acknowledged, “As soon as it came to our notice that an online webinar titled ‘Gendered Resistance and Fresh Challenges in Post-2019 Kashmir’ was to be organised at 8.30 pm by Centre for Women Studies, the administration immediately instructed the faculty member organising the event to cancel it. The programme was cancelled forthwith.”

He additional added, “The faculty member did not seek permission of the administration before planning such an event… This is a highly objectionable and a provocative subject, which questions the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country. JNU cannot be a platform to this kind of very questionable webinars. The matter is being inquired into.”
In a tweet, the JNU Teachers’ Forum condemned the organisation of such an occasion and likewise opposed the ‘anti-national stand’ taken by the Centre of Women’s Studies. “JNU must take action against those involved in organizing it,” it added.
A webinar in JNU declares “Indian occupation in Kashmir”. JNUTF strongly opposes to such anti nationwide stand taken by the Centre of Women’s Studies. JNU should take motion in opposition to these concerned in organizing it. @narendramodi @AmitShah @PMOIndia @HMOIndia @DelhiPolice pic.twitter.com/LYLXLDcmvV— JNU Teachers’ Forum (@jnutf19) October 29, 2021
Following the cancellation of the contentious webinar, the Centre for Women’s Studies in JNU put out a one-line assertion on Facebook. “The talk by Ather Zia scheduled for today has been cancelled. More information will be provided later,” it added.

Ather Zia is a Professor of anthropology and gender research on the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley within the USA. She is a columnist on the propaganda information portal, The Caravan and a poet. She had additionally written a e-book titled, ‘Resisting Disappearance: Military Occupation and Women’s Activism in Kashmir’. She can be the co-founder of Critical Kashmir Studies and the founding father of Kashmir Lit.