Academics urge APU to seek closure of FIR against students, say criminal law should be the last resort

A group of academics and members of civil society have written an open letter to the leadership of Azim Premji University (APU), raising concerns regarding a police complaint that resulted in an FIR against a student-run reading group — Spark Reading Circle. The incident happened on February 24, after activists from Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) trespassed into and vandalised the property against a discussion scheduled on the campus premises.

In their letter, the signatories, including those representing the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, Delhi University, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Harvard University, among other organisations and institutions, say they have long valued the university for standing by constitutional values, encouraging critical thinking, and engaging ethically with public issues. It is because of the reputation, they say, that they are troubled by the decision to initiate criminal proceedings against the student-run group in the aftermath of the incident.