In their bid to confront the Vice-Chancellor and other officials of the university over the “compulsory attendance” rule, the JNU Students’ Union (JNUSU)-led protesters apparently followed the V-C and other officials to the JNU’s Convention Centre while the officials were there to participate in a cultural fest.
As the handful of protesters carrying placards and shouting slogans reached the Convention Centre allegedly ‘disrupting’ the programme “JNU-Melange Cultural Fest-2018”, the varsity officials and V-C M Jagadesh Kumar took to twitter slamming the incident and calling it a “disruption”.
“At 5 pm when the cultural programme was going on in the JNU Convention Centre, some JNUSU-led protesters disrupted it by shouting slogans in the auditorium. It was disgraceful and highly condemnable,” tweeted Umesh Ashok Kadam, Dean of Students, JNU. The officials even shared short video clippings in which students can be seen shouting slogans and protesting against the compulsory attendance.
On the other hand, Satarupa Chakraborty, former general secretary of JNUSU also took to twitter refuting the charges that protesting students created disruption. “…By the way, which dictionary do you follow where shouting slogans is equivalent to disruptionIJ” she tweeted.
JNUSU is spearheading a protest against the mandatory attendance rule, demanding its rollback. However, the JNU administration is not ready to relent, citing UGC rules and guidelines regarding it. last week JNUSU-led students illegally gheraoed the administrative building confining the officials for hours even as their health deteriorated. The administrative block was already ‘out-of-bounds’ for any form of protest or demonstration. Following which the Delhi High Court on Friday directed the students to not to obstruct the V-C and other staff from entering the ad-block. Also, two FIRs have been lodged in connection with case against students for confining the officials inside ad-block.
“Apparently ‘dismayed’ by the High Court order and two FIRs in connection with the case, the handful of agitators who are on forefront of the movement and are abetting others, are seemingly more ‘disgruntled’ and are allegedly “looking for opportunities to confront officials and V-C wherever and whenever they find a suitable opportunity to do so,” said a JNU official, requesting anonymity.
He also said that JNUSU is spreading false propaganda that the V-C does not meet students. “The agitating students are now trying to register protest at any other place where they can confront the varsity officials and V-C,” he said.
Moreover, adding to the woes of administration is the series of tweets by JNU Academic Council member Madhu Kishwar in which she alleged that the resolution on compulsory attendance was not passed by the academic council. Voicing their concern with the JNUSU, the JNU Teachers Association (JNUTA) has planned “Aakrosh Dharna” at JNU’s School of Social Sciences on Tuesday against the V-C.
On the other hand, it seems that in order to settle the matter in an amicable manner, the JNU administration has invited the President and general secretary of JNUSU on February 23 to be a part of meeting to discuss various issues related to the university. It has also invited JNUTA representative for the same but on February 22.
