AGENCIES / NEW DELHI
The Delhi Police has lodged an FIR in connection with yesterday’s protest by Jawaharlal Nehru University students over hostel fee hike.
A senior police official said the FIR was registered against unknown persons under the relevant provisions of law.
Scores of JNU students took out a protest march, opposing the recent fee hike. According to the police, nearly 30 police personnel and 15 students were injured during the protest.
The JNU Students Union today alleged that Delhi Police lathi-charged students who were protesting against the fee hike in the university and also groped several women students. Addressing a press conference, JNUSU president Aishe Ghosh said, “The manner in which the police handled the situation is very shameful. Even when female officers were present, we were groped by male police officers.”
Ashok Gehlot on JNU row
Reacting over JNU row Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot says, “They are after JNU”, in an oblique reference to the BJP-led Centre. “Wherever Jawaharlal Nehru’s name comes up, their BP (blood pressure) shoots up. Then these people take action against them… this tradition is not right,” he said.
He further alleged that the NDA government wants to do politics by belittling the legacy of leaders like Nehru and Indira Gandhi, among others, and was misleading the new generation through social media. Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his team of ignoring the country’s great legends like Maulana Azad and Bhimrao Ambedkar, he said “such traditions are not good and not in the interest of the country”. “I would like to appeal to him (the prime minister) to change his thoughts and give credit to those who contributed in the development of the country and also tell the citizens about it,” he said.
JNUSU Demands No Legal Action Against Protesters
The Jawaharlal Nehru Students’ Union demands that no administrative or legal action be taken against the students protesting against a hostel fee hike. JNUSU president Aishe Ghosh said they had a meeting with the Joint Secretary of the Human Resource Development Ministry, GC Hosur, and requested him to ensure no administrative action against students. “Students have been getting notices through e-mail for these protests. But these protests are for a just cause and no student will pay even a single-rupee fine,” she told reporters here.
Registrar Refused to Meet HRD Ministry Panel
The JNU students’ union alleges that the registrar of the university refused to meet the members of the HRD Ministry-appointed panel for mediating between the agitating students and the administration and recommending ways to restore the normal functioning of the varsity. “We have got to know that the registrar refused to meet the HRD Ministry-appointed panel to mediate between us and the university. See their high-handedness. When they can refuse to entertain government representatives, how can they be expected to talk to us,” JNUSU president Aishe Ghosh said. “The strike will continue till our demands are met and the fee hike is completely rolled back,” Ghosh asserted.