Members of the JNU students’ union on Friday took out a march to the Ministry of Education to press for their demands, including an increase in scholarship amounts, but were stopped by police just outside their campus.
The police had detained 43 students from the protest site and were taken to the police station. They were allowed to leave later, an official said.
Later in the day, a delegation of JNUSU, including its president, vice president, and joint secretary, were escorted by the police to meet with officials at the Ministry of Education, the student body said.
“The focus of the discussion was the release of funds for increasing MCM and opening of Barak Hostel. It was also stressed that JNU be allowed to conduct its own entrance exam, as NTA is ridden with multiple faults. The issue of MANF, fellowship for MTech and MPH was also raised. The issue of decreasing viva voce weightage was also discussed,” the JNUSU said in a statement.
“The MoE was informed about the violation of the statutes of JNU by not allowing JNUSU to participate in Academic Council meetings where important decisions regarding students are taken. We were assured of a positive response. We have been told that until a positive response is received, the hunger strike will be continuing,” the statement read.
A heavy deployment of police personnel with multiple layers of barricading was made outside the university to stop the students from stepping out of the campus. However, the students managed to march for half a kilometre outside the campus and were stopped by the police. A clash broke out as students tried to break the barricades.
A police official earlier said that no permission was given to the students to march outside the campus.
“They will be stopped if they come out of the university,” the official had said.
The call for the march was part of an ongoing hunger strike on campus that entered the 13th day. It started on August 11. A section of students also participated in a call for a complete university strike by boycotting the classes.
They demand an increase in scholarship amounts, a caste census on campus, the lifting of the ban on campus protests, and the withdrawal of proctorial inquiries initiated against students for participating in the protests. JNUSU’s BAPSA-affiliated General Secretary Priyanshi Arya disassociated herself from the protest stating that the Union should first hold a protest in the prohibited area of 100 meter radius of the Vice-Chancellor’s office.
RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) said it will not be a part of the march or the complete university strike called by the Union.
Meanwhile, the JNUSU shared a video and alleged that the journalists who reported on the protests were assaulted by the university’s security staff.
“Security personnel also attempted to destroy cameras that were being used to capture footage of the assault. The cameras were eventually returned after students intervened.” Following this Rajya Sabha MP, John Brittas has written a letter to JNU VC Santishree D Pandit demanding firm and exemplary action against misconduct with journalists by university security personnel.
Expressing deep concern over the alleged incident, Brittas demanded an independent and thorough investigation.
In a letter, he urged the university administration to take measures that would serve as a clear message against the mistreatment of media professionals and ensure that the culprits are brought to justice.
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