25 JNU students sit on hunger strike : The Tribune India

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25 JNU students sit on hunger strike

NEW DELHI:Jawaharlal Nehru University students from two groups-Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and various Left groups-have begun an indefinite hunger strike in protest against the punishments awarded to 19 students by the varsity in connection with the controversial February 9 campus event.



Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 28

Jawaharlal Nehru University students from two groups-Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and various Left groups-have begun an indefinite hunger strike in protest against the punishments awarded to 19 students by the varsity in connection with the controversial February 9 campus event.

The hunger strike began last midnight after students took out a protest march from Ganga Dhaba to decry the administration's move. 

Among those protesting 20, including JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar, are associated to several groups while five others sitting on a protest separately are from ABVP demanding the withdrawal of penalty on Saurabh Kumar Sharma, the complainant of the event in which anti-national slogans were allegedly raised. 

In the matter, Kanhaiya was first charged under the sedition law followed by the arrest of two other students-Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya-in the case. All three are now out on bail. 

The JNU based on an inquiry committee's recommendations on the row announced varying punishments to 19 students on Monday this week for violating disciplinary norms in connection with February 9 event on the varsity campus. 

While Kanhaiya was slapped Rs 10,000 as fine and Umar Khalid, Mujeeb Gatto and Anirban Bhattacharya were rusticated for varying time durations. 

Umar was expelled for one semester and fined Rs 20,000, Mujeeb rusticated for two semesters while Anirban declared out of bounds from JNU for the five years. The university imposed a penalty of Rs 20,000 on former JNUSU president Ashutosh and withdrew the hostel facility. 

Besides, 14 other students, including ABVP's Saurabh Sharma were slapped a monetary penalty ranging from 

Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000 while two former JNU students have been declared out of bounds.

“The administration took action during exams anticipating students will not protest. Please do not question our intelligence, we can write our thesis while sitting on protest and clear our exams,” Kanhaiya said.

Rejecting the committee report, he said, “Such a high-level drama of 

high-level committee led to the suicide of Rohith Vemula. We don't want to learn things by losing 

our lives but by fighting such agendas.” 

“The JNU administration wants students who are boot-licking, opportunist, pro-establishment types, who will stand against their fraternity, in the hope of getting some favour from the current government,” said JNUSU Vice President Shehla Rashid Shora. 

The ABVP members led by Saurabh Sharma, who is the lone member in JNU students’ union, have condemned the punishments alleging that the university has failed to distinguish between the acts of “nationalist and anti-Indians” and set a bad precedent by criminalising “patriotism”. 

“The JNU administration has buckled under the pressure of seditious and anti-national sections of JNUSU and JNUTA. It reflects compromise and collusion,” said Sharma. 

However, the JNU administration maintained that the decision was taken on the basis of a thorough investigation carried out by the five-member probe panel and in accordance with the university norms. 

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