Uproar in RS over JNU fee issue, Left demands probe
BJP members seek monitoring of activities on campus
The Rajya Sabha on Friday saw angry scenes over the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) issue, with the Left member demanding a judicial enquiry into the “unfortunate incident” of lathicharge on students who were protetsing against hostel fee hike and suspension of civil liberties while the BJP member demanding a monitoring of activities within the university, citing how a yet to be unveiled statue of “youth icon” Swami Vivekananda was vandalised.
During the Zero Hour, CPI (M)’s K.K. Ragesh raised the matter and soon after him, BJP’s Prabhat Jha raised the issue of “defacement” of the statue. Mr Jha then went on to raise issue of alleged antiIndia slogans being raised by students of Jawaharlal Nehru University and demanded central government’s oversight of activities in Jawaharlal Nehru University, which was strongly countered by Left members.
Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu first cut short the CPI(M) member, who was speaking on the police action on JNU students. The Chair then said only defacement of the Vivekananda statue will be raised.
As Left party members countered Mr Jha’s contention, he alleged that JNU has over the past five years witnessed anti-India sloganeering such as “Bharat tere tukde honge”. He was countered by Left parties but was allowed to continue his submission.
Earlier, Mr Ragesh
alleged that JNU students during a march to Parliament were lathicharged by police and student leaders taken to police station and brutally beaten up. As he demanded a judicial probe into the police action, Mr Naidu cut him short, saying he had not spoken on the subject admitted — fee hike. The CPI (M) member’s mike was switched off even though there was time remaining out of his alloted slot.
Earlier, when the House assembled in the morning, Opposition parties sought to raise the issue of electoral bonds but were not allowed by the Chair.
The Congress and other parties had given several notices under Rule 267, seeking suspension of business, to take up the issue but Mr Naidu asserted that he has examined the issue and it was not important enough to set aside the business.