Coronavirus: JNU denies reports of hostel mess closure amid lockdown due to COVID-19

The Jawaharlal Nehru University administration on Friday denied reports which said the varsity's health centre and hostels' mess have been closed during the nationwide lockdown imposed to contain the coronavirus spread.

In a statement, the varsity said "it is dismayed by the misinformation campaign launched against the university by some political groups and self-interested politically motivated individuals".

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They said these sections claimed that the hostel mess facilities have been withdrawn and the health centre has been closed leaving the JNU students stranded.

"This is to underscore that the highly condemnable falsehood is being spread in the midst of a global/national crisis and it can only negatively affect the national resolve to combat the coronavirus pandemic in the country," the statement said.

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The statement said both the hostel messes and the health centre are functioning and working reasonably well as per the available resources.

The JNU security is alert round the clock to prevent any violation of key advisories issued by the government and the university from time to time to deal with the pandemic.

In early March, the university advised students to go home where they can get the best of protection and care.

"About 90 per cent of the students paid attention to the advisory and left for home by March 21.

"The international students and those who were unable to leave due to the lockdown enforcement and other difficulties continue to stay in the hostel and have been using the mess and health facilities," it said.

The varsity said it has only 687 students in 18 hostels and all are functional.

"However, in view of the lesser number of students, mess facilities are being provided in five hostels in key locations of the campus and arrangements have been made for safe and easy availability of essential items, such as grocery and medicines, within the campus," it said.

The JNU administration appealed against, "playing politics over a crisis that urgently requires understanding and cooperation", it said in the statement.