JNU students boycott classes

Protests intensify, teachers plan strike

Protests intensified on the Jawaharlal Nehru University campus and JNUSU went on a day’s strike on Monday, days after a section of students hosted an event against the “judicial killing of Afzal Guru”. 

 Teachers will strike work on Tuesday, according to JNU teachers’ association (JNUTA). Classes, however, have been disrupted for several days now. 

Vice chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar sent a report to the HRD Ministry on the February 9 event which has polarised the campus into two warring camps – one led by ABVP and the other by the Left student groups. 

“We want the university to function normally. JNU is known for debate and discussion. Strikes will not help us in resolving issues. We should continue to discuss to resolve any issue,” the VC said on the students’ union strike. 

He said the university inquiry committee will submit its report in about two weeks.Sadhvi backs right wing

Earlier in day, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Sadhvi Prachi reached the JNU campus to express solidarity with the right wing groups demanding action against the “anti-national” forces. 

She questioned Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi’s motive behind supporting a students’ protest at Jawaharlal Nehru University over the hanging of 2001 Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. 

“Rahul Gandhi should tell the nation the definition of nationalism,” she told reporters. The RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad claimed that it had nothing to do with Sadhvi’s visit. 

The entry inside the campus was highly regulated. But the university’s security staff were in for a tough job, as many thronged the JNU gates with tricolour. 

Later in the day, the ABVP organised a protest to oppose teachers’ call for a strike.“All teachers are requested to participate and cooperate,” an email from JNUTA says.The Left-dominated JNU students’ union (JNUSU) indicated that the battle line has been drawn between the warring camps. 

“The state is unethically using its criminal might to turn absolutely peace-loving, innocent students into criminals, while the felons and criminals rule the roost. There is no action against the ABVP members who have engaged in physical violence on campus,” a statement issued by the union said.

It has called for an “all-India university strike” on Thursday. Seeing tension escalating, the JNU VC made an appeal to maintain peace on the campus.

“It’s important that every one cooperates with us to bring normalcy on the campus so that we focus our attention on making JNU even a better university,” he said.