After Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students planned a protest march towards the Ministry of Education on Thursday afternoon, clashing with police and detaining 51 protesters, including four JNU Students’ Union (JNUSU) officials, the university said the union had refused to discuss the “core issue” of the student leaders’ expulsion, which is “vandalism and violence against public property inside the campus.”
This statement was regarding the expulsion of five JNUSU officials for allegedly vandalising surveillance equipment in the Ambedkar Library earlier this month.
Late last night, the Vasant Kunj North police registered a case against the protesters under sections 221 (intentional obstruction of a public servant in discharge of his official duties), 121[1] (voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty), 132 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of his official duties), and 3[5] (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The JNU administration also stated that JNUSU was demanding the implementation of University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations despite the Supreme Court stay, but neither the Vice-Chancellor nor the Registrar had the authority to enforce them.
JNU Campus University Officials Stated
The JNU university officials stated, “JNU Student Union has, to date, refused to discuss the core issue of their registration, which is the vandalism and violence against public property within the campus,” and added that the students were registered after a proctor’s inquiry.
Describing JNU as “a public university, therefore accountable to the government, Parliament and Indian taxpayers,” the administration said it was “very disturbing” that “a female OBC Vice Chancellor was attacked on false charges to divert attention from the issue of violence and vandalism of public property.” This statement came hours after several students, including JNUSU members, were detained when they tried to stage a “long march” from the campus to the Ministry of Education.
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