Shield JNU from external interference: Teachers

The Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers Association (JNUTA) on Tuesday asked the university administration to shield the institution from external interference in the case involving JNU Students’ Union president Kanhaiya Kumar.

Hundreds of teachers joined students in boycotting classes to protest the arrest of Kanhaiya who was, on Monday, remanded in custody for two more days.

After his court appearance was met by violent scuffles outside the court, JNUTA secretary Bikramaditya Choudhary urged Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar to “act according to his wisdom” and said the teacher body has expressed objection to his decision to allow police to carry out “indiscriminate search” on the campus.

But in its note on the incident, the university says, “The apprehension of faculty members about the police presence on campus was discussed with the faculty representatives and a letter was sent to the police requesting them to take utmost precaution before entering the university campus.”