Teachers to start ‘V-C bhagao, JNU bachao’ fund

NEW DELHI: A day after the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) vice chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar announced the creation of a ‘JNU Alumni Endowment Fund’, the JNU Teachers’ Association (JNUTA) on Wednesday said it will organise a ‘JNUTA badhao, V-C bhagao, JNU bachao’ fund collection drive among the faculty next week.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the JNUTA said the V-C had destroyed the ethos of JNU that was “held in so much pride by generations of the University’s alumni”. The teachers’ body also questioned the V-C’S move to “appeal to the same alumni to strengthen the University’s resources by contributing to a JNU alumni endowment fund”.

The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) administration on Tuesday had approved the creation of a ‘JNU Alumni Endowment Fund’ and appealed to its alumni to ensure that the university becomes “financially selfsufficient”.the JNU has set a target of raising ₹100 crore by the end of the year. In a statement issued by vice-chancellor Jagadesh Kumar , the alumni were told that the university had made a “significant difference” in their lives and it was time for them to think of their alma mater and be a part of its ongoing journey.

Alleging that the V-C has launched an attack on the teachers’ association by stopping the collection of funds for the JNUTA from all faculty members, they said, “to demonstrate this resolve, the JNUTA will organise a ‘JNUTA badhao, V-C bhagao, JNU bachao’ fund collection among the faculty over the next week.”

Despite several attempts JNU V-C Kumar did not respond to calls and texts for a comment on the issue.