New Delhi:
Jawaharlal Nehru University issued notices to members of the JNU students’ union (JNUSU) over “illegal occupation of the road inside the University North Gate”, eliciting a strong response from the association after one of the notices was issued to a hospitalised student on Wednesday.
Since October 17, JNUSU leaders and students are camped at the north gate as a part of an indefinite round-the-clock sit-in to demand phased entry of all research scholars and restart normal academic functioning while following Covid-19 protocols. A small area inside the campus has been barricaded by the students.
On Monday, the university issued notices to JNUSU president Aishe Ghosh, general secretary Satish Chandra Yadav, and joint secretary Mohammad Danish.
Stating that the “illegal occupation” was “causing inconvenience to residents”, the administration on Wednesday asked the students to clear the blockade failing which “strict disciplinary action” would be initiated against them. The students’ outfit, meanwhile, said that it would continue with the protest.
“In the most shameful turn of events, a Cyclops security guard was sent to Safdarjung Hospital to serve the threatening notice to (JNUSU joint secretary) Danish who is admitted there on account of dengue and is being administered blood even as we speak,” JNUSU said in a statement.
The notice issued by the chief proctor said that as per the report submitted by JNU’s security department, “there is prima facie evidence that Mohammad Danish, along with a group of other students, have blocked the road, erected a tent, and drawn electric connection from the control room of JNU security to the tent.”
{{/usCountry}}The notice issued by the chief proctor said that as per the report submitted by JNU’s security department, “there is prima facie evidence that Mohammad Danish, along with a group of other students, have blocked the road, erected a tent, and drawn electric connection from the control room of JNU security to the tent.”
{{/usCountry}}The administration, however, said the student himself had said that the notice could be delivered to him at the hospital. “The administration had not given any instruction to hand over the notices in a hospital because the administration did not even know he was hospitalised. Security officials, who were given the responsibility to hand over the notices, said they had called the said student and the student himself said that he was in the hospital and the notice could be served to him there,” said a senior JNU official, requesting anonymity.
While the university had announced a phase-wise return for final-year PhD scholars of science subjects, JNUSU said it was not enough. “The October 21 circular does not address the issue of submitting research scholars, creates a false binary between science and humanities/social science and is a ploy to suspend entry of students for an indefinite period,” they said in a statement on Wednesday.
The notice comes on the anniversary of the fee hike protests that had rocked the university last year.