The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus and the hostel premises were one of the safest places in the country for us even than our home but now it has become the scariest place for all the students, said Pushpa, a PhD scholar in Russian language.
She has been distraught ever since the violence took place inside university hostels. Students, especially women, dread going out alone and have started walking in groups to have some security around them.
“Now we are going out in groups or pairs from one centre to another because we never know what will happen next. When the incident took place even the common innocent students who were not part of it were caught into the vortex of violence and brutally beaten by the goons. Every student of this university knows who are the people behind this violence. I am studying in this university since 2010 and protests were held before but this will be the first time that such incident has taken place and the Vice Chancellor is just idle and doing nothing to instill confidence amongst students,” said Pushpa.
The Pioneer visited the JNU campus on Tuesday and Wednesday to feel the atmosphere there and how students were coping after watching the battered and blood soaked images of their colleagues.
Days after the violent attack, when a group of over 50 masked men and women allegedly belonging to Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarti Parishad (ABVP) and Bajrang Dal entered the campus and Periyar Hostel and beat students to pulp and damaged properties.
A group of students Pawan Parag, Amit, Nivedita and Ravi Yadav from the School of Language, Literature and Culture Studies (SLL&CS) said the students have been protesting for more than 70 days against the fee hike as that militates against the very ethos and culture of the JNU.
“Our parents are scared but being a citizen of this country and a student of this university, it is my right to raise an issue, be it fee hike or Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
I am not involved in any protest or demonstration but every student enrolled in the university is against the arbitrary decision and changes promulgated the JNU administration,” said Parag Pawan, a research scholar.
Pawan sounded worried as to how outsiders managed to enter the campus despite security and administration did nothing except twiddling its thumb. The JNU student unions has been elected by the students and its office bearers represent us. The Vice Chancellor should have at least met them. “The fact that the VC has refused to recognise JNUSU speaks volumes about his mindset vis-à-vis students and their demands. Since the VC has failed to protect us the students, he should demit his office,” Pawan added.
While another student Waris said, “Fee hike is a big issue, people say it is just Rs 10 but the thing is it is mess fees that has caused major worry for us. There are many students who are unable to pay that amount because they come from a very poor economic background. Students never liked the earlier VCs. Now we are forced to believe that previous VCs were far compassionate as compared to the present VC M Jagadesh Kumar. Ever since he has taken charge, there has been unrest in this campus. Apart from the fee hike; it is about seats cut, examination pattern changes and compulsory attendance. If a research scholar will write an objective pattern exams, how will s/he gets indepth knowledge.”
Another student who wants to remain anonymous said, “My parents and friends are scared after Sunday’s incident. I came here to study and it was a peaceful place. Protests do happen in every university but hooliganism and vandalism should be condemned and should never be allowed to happen at the very first place. We want our deaf and dumb VC to take stand for us and act to provide safety to the students within the campus.”
“I want to appear for the exams. My parents have clearly asked me not to involve in any protest and demonstrations but I stay here in the campus and I know what this place is. The student union did not force us to boycott the examinations. The students who wanted to register for the exams, registered. I did register for the exams smoothly and about 3,000 students registered for the examinations. But, as a student, I don’t think the protest against fee hike is wrong. Even I am not protesting with them bit I stand for my fellow mates and whatever is happened in the university is because of the careless attitude of the university administration towards the students. The ruckus is by the ABVP goons,” said a JNU student who wants to stay anonyms.
Rajesh Yadav, a PhD student, said, “Those who left the campus come from a very good family. But here there are thousands of students who are still in the university because their hometown is far and their parents don’t earn much to book a flight for their wards. Now students are locked inside the room in fear. But, everyone is against the fee hike and stand with our fellow students because anyone can come and beat me with no reason.”
“About 30 students, including JNUSU president Aishe Ghosh and senior Professors such as Sucharita Sen, were beaten up by a group of masked men on Sunday and till date no arrest has been made,” said students.
