Cutting across party lines, the JNU students’ outfits on Friday registered their protest against the varsity’s revised manual prohibiting and penalising protests on campus within 100 metres of the academic buildings, among other restrictions, and demanded its withdrawal.
The ABVP’s Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) unit burnt an effigy of the varsity administration while protesting against the manual calling it “dictatorial” and “anti-student”.
“The JNU is an open and liberal university, where the students have the right to freely express their opinions. However, the administration is attempting to strip away this right,” said Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) Unit Secretary Vikas Patel.
“The ABVP calls on the administration to retract the Code of Conduct and collaborate with the students to create a new one that respects the democratic values and safeguards the students’ rights,” he added.
Earlier in the day, several students’ outfits of the JNU submitted a memorandum to Vice Chancellor Santishree Pandit to cease all ongoing inquiries against the students related to protests alleging that they have been served notices despite her assurance to revolve the issue.
The JNUSU, supported by 11 members of the different students’ outfits and hostel presidents, in the letter to the vice chancellor demanded that all disciplinary actions against the students ordered by the Chief Proctor Office (CPO) should be rescinded and the new varsity manual be withdrawn.
The students’ outfits have also demanded an announcement to start the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) elections. “We, the students of Jawaharlal Nehru University, are writing to you to register out strong protest and indignation at the series of vindictive actions initiated by the JNU administration against various elected representatives and activists,” the letter read.
The letter added that the revised CPO manual, which penalises 28 types of misconduct at the JNU, “militates” the students’ democratic right to protest for their rights.
Responding to the students’ allegations, the V-C said the inquiries are underway for the students who were involved in rule violation as per the High Court’s orders, while fines imposed on several other students during the 2019 fee hike protests were waived by her.
“The show cause notices have been issued to those students, who were found involved in rule violation as per the High Court order. We can’t do contempt of the court by not abiding to the rules. I have waived the fines imposed on many students for protesting over fee hike in 2019. But if they continue to break the rules then necessary action as per the rules and regulations will be taken,” she told PTI.
The vice-chancellor’s office also clarified that the new rules in the varsity manual released in November after the executive council’s approval will not apply to old cases of rule violation by the students. “Any act of rule break after the revised manual came into force will be penalised as per the regulations outlined in the manual. The old and ongoing cases will not be examined based on the new rules,” a senior official clarified.
Meanwhile, the students’ outfits have, as per the letter, decided to initiate “non-cooperation” with the entire JNU administration if their demands are not addressed before the commencement of the 2024 winter semester.
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