JNUSU continues protest over ‘illegal curfew timing’

NEW DELHI: In a tussle between Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Administration and JNU Student Association (JNUSU), the latter has refused to budge with protests continuing on Monday. The statement by JNUSU comes a day after the University administration issued a statement saying they are not “permanently closing down the Parthasarathy Rock” area on the campus. Speaking to

about the issue, Sai Balaji, former president JNUSU said, “We are not going to coorperate with these illegal curfew timings.” Meanwhile, the chief security officer of the university called it a “rumour”. “No such decision has been taken and a lock was temporarily put up on the gate at the time of some repair work,” the officer said in a circular.

In a circular JNU admin said, “In order to maintain safety and security for the JNU community, the Parthasarathy

Rock area will remain open from 5:30 am to 7:30 pm.” It added that all members of the JNU community will be allowed into this area during the said hours on production of their identity cards. This created an uproar among the student community.

“This is nothing but implementing curfew timings which draft IHA circular talks of through back hand. The Vice Chancellor hires a company with 270 security guards. This is 200 less than G4S provided i.e. 470,” said Balaji.

He added that this was done intentionally to put JNU security under comprise and use it as a pretext curb freedom of movement.

According the circular, someone people had broken open the lock and uprooted the iron gate on the night of October 19-20. “The act was tantamount to a criminal offence of "damaging public/university property and investigations are on to find out the culprits", the circular added.