SC revokes suspension of BHU students; stays criminal proceedings

The Supreme Court on Thursday came to help of eight students from Banaras Hindu University by revoking their suspension. The court also stayed the criminal proceedings initiated against them over their agitation on opening varsity library for 24 hours.
 
The top court, however, put the students to oral examinations by asking them questions from studies. It provided them relief after they expressed remorse over their conduct.
 
After asking the lawyers not to argue the case, a three-judge bench presided over by Justice Dipak Misra put the undergraduate and post-graduate students to questions like what is the ingredients of 'State' and who propounded the principle of 'Advaitwad'. The queries also ranged from philosophies of Immanuel Kant, Descarte and Nietzsche.
 
As students faltered on some basic questions from their subjects of studies and answered several others, the bench asked, “What did you do get suspended?”
 
They replied that they were merely demanding opening of cyber library 24x7 as promised in the University prospectus and went on hunger strike over it. They were arrested and sent to jail on lodging of criminal case after their suspension from May, last year, they said.
 
On inquiry, University Registrar Neeraj Tripathi, personally present in the court, said the library was open from 8 AM to 11 PM and as the varsity had huge porus campus and, it was not feasible to keep it open for 24x7.
 
The bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and Mohan M Shantanagoudar told the students, “Every University has a discipline. If it is not possible to keep library open 24 hours, you have to follow rules and regulations.”
 
The bench told them, “If you express your remorse over your conduct, we will stay the criminal case proceedings and ask the University authorities to conduct your special examination by end of July, so that academic year does not get spoiled.”
 
“The case against you will remain pending. We will see your conduct,” the bench further told them.
 
As the students agreed, the bench told them, “On next date of hearing on August 28, you have to appear here again. All of you have to wear white shirts and keep your hair properly combed. This court also has some discipline.”
 
The court directed University authorities to give the students gap of three days between two papers in their examination in order to provide them with time for preparations.