6 JNU students suspended
NEW DELHI: Six students have been allegedly suspended academically from Jawahar
lal Nehru University (JNU) for their participation in the protest over the hostel fee hike.
In different circulars that many JNU students received, the administration claimed that the university Vice-chancellor was “hackled and abused” by a bunch of students, while they also unlawfully entered and vandalized the varsity's office.
Calling out the admin for its action, JNUSU alleged that, “the administration is formulating a strategy of mass intimidation by sending proctorial inquiries to students en masse and even academically suspending them as well as evicting them from hostels and declaring them out of bounds.”
Names of three students have been named in the circu
lar, while the administration said an FIR has also been registered in their name.
“When the VC and the other officials were coming out from the School of Arts and Aesthetics (SAA) building, around 25-30 surrounded them and the students started abusing, heckling and scuffling with them,” said the circular by the administration.
As six students were suspended and have been asked to vacate the hostel premises, a lot of students have been randomly sent proctoral enquiries, JNUSU claimed. “We warn the administration to not execute such stunts, and also appeal to the larger students community to stand against the hostel eviction order and deter the administration from targeting the students,” they said. Speaking to
one of the students whose name was mentioned, but was not suspended due to “lack of evidence” spoke on the condition of anonymity and said, “It is so bizarre that the VC put such allegations on us. We went to talk to the VC and no one harassed him. His car, on the other hand, was about to crush some students, which is visible on the video that went viral on social media.”
The admin has also alleged that the students had damaged VC'S vehicle and vandalized his office premises.
“No one was allowed to enter the admin building so how can we vandalize it? We didn't do any contempt of court, the admin just wants to intimidate us,” said the student.
A Proctorial Committee will be hearing the cases of some students, one of which is scheduled on January 1.
The statement has also been endorsed by other student bodies like BAPSA, NSUI. The varsity has been seeing protest over the issue of hostel fee hike for more than a month. The matter comes at a moment, when the university has been boycotting the examinations over the fee hike issue.
Meanwhile, JNU Teachers' Association has condemned the administration for creating a “false picture of normalcy” in the university by “forcing teachers and students to participate in a farcical end-semester examination.”
“This experience with endsemester exams has once again proved that the JNU VC'S obstinate insistence on having his way and avoiding a resolution of the central issue of the hike in hostel charges is achieving little other than a prolonging crisis,” said a statement by JNUTA.
It added that in such times of crisis they hope the MHRD will play its necessary role in achieving the objective.