Sedition row accused alleges JNU withheld MPhil degree
NEW DELHI: A former general secretary of the JNU students’ union has alleged that her MPhil degree has been held back by the university, citing her involvement in an event in which antinational slogans were allegedly raised.
Chintu Kumari, who is currently pursuing her PhD from the Center for Political Studies, was among the 21 students who were found guilty of violating disciplinary norms by an internal probe committee investigating the Afzal Guru event held on February 9.
Responding to the allegations, officials said that the university follows protocol when any matter is being investigated. “We need to follow certain protocol in disciplinary cases. However, we need to check details of this particular case,” an official said.
Kumari was among those who were issued show-cause notices after the panel submitted its report.
She was not among the eight students who were debarred from academic activities.
Kumari said that when she went to the evaluation department for collecting her degree, she was told that it had been blocked. She said she submitted her MPhil dissertation in June last year and appeared for the viva in March this year.
“I am a Dalit student from a very poor background. My parents are wage labourers in a village in Bihar. I was not debarred from academics and that’s how my viva happened in March. So, on what basis are they denying me my degree. This is victimisation,” she said.
Recently, two students Shweta Raj and Rama Naga, who were among the eight debarred students, had alleged that the university has denied their fellowships on grounds that their suspension has not been revoked yet.
The university later termed it a “technical error” and said their grants will be disbursed. JNU is yet to announce the final quantum of punishment being given to students involved in the incident.
The probe panel is also believed to have recommended rustication of some students including Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya and monetary penalty for others.
JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar, Khalid and Bhattacharya were arrested in a sedition case over the event and are currently out on bail.