JOIN USFasting Kanhaiya rushed to AIIMS
Health condition of Jawaharlal Nehru Students (JNU) Union president Kanhaiya Kumar worsened on Thursday as his fast-unto-death agitation reached 8th day.
Following a steep fall in glucose level in Kanhaiya’s blood, he was taken to the university’s health centre in a semi-conscious state for an immediate medical intervention.
Kanhaiya Kumar was later taken to AIIMS.
Health condition of other leftist students, including many women students on an indefinite hunger strike since April 27, also deteriorated.
Four of the 19 students — Sunaina, Neetisha, Sanjeev, Awadesh — discontinued their fast as other agitating students managed to convince them to fall back for now in view of their worsen health conditions after remaining on fast for 7 days.
The decline in health conditions amid sweltering heat of the summer, however, failed to discourage others from continuing with their strike.
Kanhaiya, who was being kept with normal saline (sodium-potassium) drip after certain anti-vomiting injection at the JNU health centre, refused to break his fast.
Moreover, the JNU Student Union president gave “stay back and fight back” call to the students, further intensifying the stir against Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar’s orders for rustication of three students and fine on others in connection with the February 9 Afzal Guru event.
“It is true that after 8 days of indefinite hunger strike, our health is down, but the spirit to fight is still high, it would never go down. We will continue to fight,” said JNU Student Union general secretary Rama Naga, facing charge of sedition along with Kanhaiya, Umer and others in connection with February 9 Afzal Guru event.
Meanwhile, more civil society groups, including Anhad and individuals from different walks of life, came in support to the students’ protests, giving a boost to the spirit of those sitting on hunger strike.
Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activists, meanwhile, brought a new twist to their agitation a day after the JNU administration assured them of removing “reprimanding remarks” made against their leader Saurabh Sharma by a probe committee in lieu of their commitment to call off their strike immediately.
“Indefinite hunger strike was called off. But, our relay hunger strike will continue till all our demands are accepted,” ABVP leader Alok Singh announced.
The JNU vice-chancellor on Wednesday appealed to the students to call off their strike. His efforts, however, failed to yield any result as the leftist students took serious exception to the terming of their strike an “unlawful activity” by the vice-chancellor and vowed to further intensify their “struggle”.
“Even if Comrade Kanhaiya has to discontinue due to ill health, the struggle will continue. Our hunger strike will continue. If needed, more people will join,” JNU Student Union vice-president Shehla Rashid, who too was not in health, said.