A professor of the Central University of Jharkhand has been suspended by the vice chancellor for inviting a former Jawaharlal Nehru University professor to an event marking Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's birth, reported The Indian Express. Earlier this month, Dr Shreya Bhattacharji had invited NM Panini, who used to teach at JNU's Centre for the Study of Social Systems, though the latter did not attend the event.

“Professor Panini is considered a mentor of the group of students of JNU, who were involved in anti-national activities in JNU campus recently. As such, the invitation to Professor Panini by Dr Shreya Bhattacharji, without examining his credentials, led to widespread criticism from different quarters of the society, as a result of which not only was the image of the university tarnished, but the reputation of the vice chancellor was put at stake as well,” read the suspension letter issued to the associate professor of the university's Centre for English Language.

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The order further said Jharkhand Governor Draupadi Murmu, who was the chief guest at the event, cancelled her visit as a "person of disputed integrity" was invited to the university. It alleged that Bhattacharji had taken the step without informing Vice Chancellor Nand Kumar Yadav, and that her actions amounted to “misconduct”. She has been removed from her other posts as Dean of the School of Language, Dean of the School of Education and Dean of Students’ Welfare as well.

Panini said he was “appalled and deeply upset” by the action taken against Bhattacharji. He told The Indian Express that he was extended an invitation by Yadav as well. “The programme was initially supposed to happen several months ago, but was eventually finalised for March 19. At the time, the VC spoke to me over the phone and said he was happy to invite me for the lecture. I had asked them to book my ticket via Delhi from Mysore where I stay. When I reached Delhi on the 17th, the VC called me again and said that the programme had been cancelled,” he said.

The former JNU professor said Yadav told him that the university had cancelled the event because of an agitation by students as Panini belonged to the JNU fraternity. Panini retired from JNU in 2009. “There were also rumours that Professor Panini was Kanhaiya’s supervisor,” Yadav told The Hindu, adding that he took the decision to save his guest from being dishonoured. “Students would have disrupted the proceedings according to my information,” he said.

According to Panini, he has always held views different from his "former leftist colleagues, and he was going to refer to the recent developments in JNU at the programme and speak about how if India breaks up, the minorities and other marginalised groups will suffer the most.