“Faculty, Students, and Staff of Simon Fraser University urge the Vice Chancellor of JNU to uphold the institutional autonomy and the democratic rights of the student community,” reads the title of an online petition started by SFU’s Director of Humanities, Samir Gandesha. Dr. Gandesha created the petition in response to the recent arrests of students in Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, India, on accounts of sedition (a charge involving speech provoking others to rebel against the state).

According to The New York Times, an on-campus rally on February 9 ended with the arrest of the president of JNU’s student union, Kanhaiya Kumar. The rally was calling into question the trial and execution of Afzal Guru, a participant in a 2001 terrorist attack on India’s Parliament.

The issue further escalated when lawyers and supporters of the BJP, the party currently in power in the Indian government, assaulted students and journalists at the scene of Mr. Kumar’s hearing on the basis of their supposed anti-nationalism.

In regards to the events that transpired, Dr. Gandesha told The Peak that this incident speaks to a “much larger problem in the Indian state, certain elements with the Indian institution, [that are] not prepared to accept points of view they disagree with.”

The concept of sedition is one that is strongly propagated by the current Indian government, something which Dr. Gandesha found particularly troubling: “[The charge of sedition] is being used by the government to deal with any kind of dissent that the government doesn’t wish to see or doesn’t like.”

Dr. Gandesha’s petition stands alongside similar petitions and protests internationally. Once the students were taken into custody at JNU, the twitter handle #StandwithJNU began trending as various academics and intellectuals internationally began to stand in solidarity with the students. When asked why he started the petition, Dr. Gandesha said, “The more this action is condemned by the international community, and not just by Indians living in India, the more pressure will be brought to bear on the Indian government, including the courts, to address this case impartially and according to the rule of law.”

So far, the condemnation of the international community has been proven effective, as the JNSU president, Kanhaiya Kumar, was recently released on bail.

However, other students arrested at the time still remain in jail. The petition for SFU students has a goal of 1,000 signatures, and at the time of publication has  reached 179.

Dr. Gandesha hopes his petition will prompt the SFU community to “think about what is happening in India in relation to what is happening in Canada,” citing Bill C-51 as an example. “[Bill C-51] has been criticized by the BC Civil Liberties Association for criminalizing dissent. And this is exactly what’s going on in India — there’s a criminalization of dissent.”

Dr. Gandesha also emphasized the international implications of this pattern of suppression occurring currently in India: “We need to see this attack on civil liberties, academic freedom, freedom of expression as part of a worldwide pattern, a global pattern. It has to do with global spread of neoliberal policies.”

SFU’s various strategic ties further link SFU students to the country and its controversial current affairs.

Recent advancements in SFU’s relationship with India include our partnership with Ryerson University and the Bombay Exchange Institute to develop an incubator and accelerator program in India in January 2014, as well as the expansion in the relationship between SFU and Indian Oil Corp. Ltd. in fuel cell technology research in October 2014.

The university commented on SFU’s increasing links towards India in the face of the current events concerning academic freedom of speech in the country, in a statement sent to The Peak: “The current situation at JNU is concerning and is quickly evolving. SFU is committed to intellectual and academic freedom. We respect and protect the right to free speech [. . .]”

“Why should we have ties to a country where academic freedom doesn’t mean anything?” questioned Dr. Gandesha.

“We expect our students to be safe, even when they speak out and say things we necessarily may not agree with. We have to expect that from all universities we partner with. That, to me, is a given. And it’s a question of human rights.”

Difficulty coordinating harm-reduction efforts at UVic

[VICTORIA] – A 2013 national survey on substance use by post-secondary students found the consumption levels of University of Victoria students ranked steadily higher than other Canadian universities. These results incited Changing the Culture of Substance Use in Residence (CCSUR) to launch through the university with the intention of encouraging moderation of substance use.

Concurrently, the advocacy group UVic Pride, which provides a space at UVic with clean tools for safer drug use, notes that many community members access their resources but express concerns for UVic administration’s lack of funding or involvement with immediate harm-reduction groups like itself.

With files from The Martlet

Sexual violence policy passed at Queen’s

[KINGSTON] – Queen’s Board of Trustees have approved a university-wide sexual violence policy. It is subject to future adjustments in order to align with anticipated new provincial legislation regarding sexual violence.

The draft was released in December to allow for a two-month feedback period. The policy has passed following a 2014 Toronto Star investigation stating that only nine of 78 Canadian universities had such a policy. Ryerson and York University have also since passed designated sexual assault policies.

With files from The Journal

Dalhousie students protest proposed tuition hike

[HALIFAX] – Dalhousie students are protesting proposed tuition increases from the university’s Budget Advisory Committee. The changes being considered include an increase of 15 percent for engineering and pharmacy programs and 18.9 percent for agriculture.

Students have raised concerns about the high tuition fees already in place, the affordability of their education, and the feeling of not being supported by their university’s administration. The university’s Board of Governors are to vote on the approval of these increases on April 19.

With files from The Dalhousie Gazette