NEW DELHI: Around 150 students and parents logged in Saturday to hear JNU professor emerita Zoya Hasan speak on ’Why Pluralism Matters’, a day after her scheduled appearance as chief guest at Sardar Patel Vidyalaya’s Independence Day function was cancelled following protests outside the school. At the virtual Independence Day celebration organised by parents and students, Hasan delivered the address that she could not deliver Friday.Hasan was to hoist Tricolour, address and present awards to meritorious students as the chief guest, but after protesters gathered outside the school gate, the school’s managing body had replaced her.On Saturday, parents read out a letter of apology to Hasan, condemning what they described as pressure from “external forces” on the school to drop her as the chief guest. “We, the parents of students presently studying in Sardar Patel Vidyalaya, profusely apologise to you for the unseemly events that unfolded yesterday at our beloved school — an institute of repute that was established to further the legacy of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel,” the letter stated.“Not only the students but their parents and teachers were also excited to listen to the speech of the chief guest of the event, Zoya Hasan,” it added. “But soon the scenario changed. The school was compelled by external forces to drop Hasan as chief guest… The whole chain of events was very shocking for most of the parents of SPV.”Addressing the attendees, Hasan said pluralism today faced the “biggest threat” from the prevailing idea of nationalism. “India is a country of diverse identities and cultures, like our national anthem rightfully invokes Punjab, Sindhu, Gujarat and Maratha, Dravida and Odisha and Bengal together.”Hasan said the nature of nationalism had changed from the colonial period. “In the current times, nationalism is not what it used to be against the British in the colonial times. It was more civilised at that time. Today nationalism is based on a single religious identity and idea of conformity,” she added.She went on to discuss the meaning and essence of pluralism, the history of secularism and the relationship between the state and society in India, as well as contemporary socio-political developments affecting pluralism.The virtual programme concluded with the national anthem.
