It does not seem as if we, as a nation, are collectively engaged in fighting terrorism. It suggests that you only associate terrorism with Muslims. I was speaking at a conference on Gandhi and Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan. A whole auditorium can be filled up with books on Islam and violence but what about Islam and non-violence? What about Gaffar Khan? Does he not exist or is he of no consequence because he does not fit the stereotype that some people wish to create and perpetuate about an entire community?

•Suman K. Jha: Jamia has a street named after Arjun Singh. How would you defend his being given this privilege in the university, which he is said to be using to score political brownie points?

I don’t think it is fair to draw Mr Arjun Singh into this controversy because apart from vindicating the position of the academic council, he has no role to play. He has been tremendously supportive to the institution and I think the entire Jamia fraternity is extremely grateful to him for what he has done, having sensed the fact that Jamia has been the victim of neglect for the last 55 years. So if you want to grudge Arjun Singh for extending financial support, which was not out of proportion and was well within the rules, then I can’t help that, but please don’t associate his name with this controversy.

To suggest that he is using this, as some people said in a television interview, for the election is completely preposterous. Yes, we have named a building and a street after him. And I wish there were more buildings that I could name after him. He very strongly opposed the idea of a building being named after him and I think some of my colleagues persuaded him to accept it. He has done more for the institution than anybody else, and yes, may be the next building, a bigger one, can be called ‘Arjun Singh’.

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