JNU row: We're confusing universities with monasteries; students have the right to be wrong, says Chidambaram

The JNU debate is not whether a bunch of misguided youth allegedly raised anti-national slogans. The real debate is what is a university, Chidambaram said.

New Delhi: A university is a place where one has the right to be wrong since it is where the students can freely debate and discuss, former union minister P. Chidamabaram said at a function on Friday while referring to the JNU crisis.

“I think we're confusing universities with monasteries. A university is a place where I have the right to be wrong,” Chidamabaram said.

“The JNU debate is not whether a bunch of misguided youth allegedly raised anti-national slogans. The real debate is what is a university,” he said.

The former union minister made the comments at a function here to release his book “Standing Guard: A Year in Opposition” on Friday.

“I think humour is dead. We must bring back sobriety to our discussions and compassion to our politics,” he said.

He also said that the Dadri debate wasn't whether it was beef or mutton but debate is whether a mob has the right to lynch.

“| think 2015 has been one of the most polarised years.

“Please talk to your Muslim and Dalit friends to know how polarised a society we have become,” the former union finance minister added.