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EDUCATION

service charges for all students and 75- shutdown over the hostel fee hike issue. prosecution of former JNU Students’
per cent concession for students below “... Now I am hearing rumours from Union president Kanhaiya Kumar in a
poverty line. social media and newspapers about sedition case. A bench of Chief Justice
This was the second rollback an- students boycotting the examinations. D N Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar
nounced by the varsity. The first roll- If the university allows such a thing to said it cannot pass any direction in this
back was announced in mid-Novem- happen, it would be great injustice to regard and it is for the Delhi govern-
ber. Students have rejected both the those who have always been regular ment to decide as per existing rules,
rollbacks and have been on a strike for and sincere in the classes and have not policy, law and facts of that case
over a month against the fee hike. The supported any such activities which on whether to grant approval for
JNU Students’ Union has said almost disrupt the normal functioning of the prosecution.
17 centres have decided to boycott the university,” the student, whose name The court, while disposing of the
semester examinations scheduled to was withheld by the administration, petition, said it appeared that the pe-
start from December 12. has written. titioner, former BJP MLA Nand Kishor
The Jawaharlal Nehru University Garg, has some personal interest in the
(JNU) administration has been appeal- e also urged the administration FIR lodged against Kumar and others
ing to agitating students to immedi- to ensure that his “academic in relation to the JNU sedition case of
ately call off their strike and said it had H rights of attending classes and 2016. The plea has sought issuance of
received “letters and messages from taking examinations should not be guidelines ‘for expeditious disposal of
several bona fide students who have allowed to be compromised” because criminal cases of serious nature where
expressed their anguish over the per- of the “coercive methods” adopted by there is involvement of the influential
sistent agitation”. those who wish to disrupt the peaceful persons as accused’.
End-semester examinations are to academic environment on the campus. On this, the court said it sees no rea-
begin on December 12 and apprehen- In a separate letter, another student son to direct the government for such
sions are abound that the students, has apparently demanded strict action guidelines over and above the existing
who are eagerly waiting for completing against those who stop the university’’s law. It said there are adequate number
their academic requirements, will face academic and administrative activities of judgements rendered by the vari-
obstructions due to the ongoing agi- by “coercive means”. ous courts on this. The petition, filed
tation, JNU Registrar Pramod Kumar “All protests which violate univer- through advocate Shashank Deo Sudhi,
reportedly said. sity rules and high court order should alleged that Kumar’s case highlights the
“The JNU administra- not be allowed on the campus,” the lackadaisical approach of the govern-
tion has been receiv- student has written. He assured the stu- ment as it has ‘failed’ to grant the sanc-
ing letters and mes- dents that end-semester examinations tion letter which is required prior to
sages from several bona will be held as per the schedule from taking cognisance of the charge sheet.
fide students who have December 12. The court also refused to direct
expressed their anguish In a separate development, the Del- the Delhi government to constitute a
over the persistent agita- hi High Court has refused to direct the high-powered committee to look into
tion, lockdown of the ad- AAP government to grant sanction for the aspects of delay in the procedural
ministration building and compliances which leads to delay in
forced closure of some The JNUSU, which the administrative process for grant of
schools by the agitators,” sanction in criminal cases. The bench
he was quoted as saying by has been protesting said it sees no reason to direct the gov-
a leading news agency. for over a month ernment to constitute a high-powered
He also shared mails committee as the State has got enough
purportedly written by against the proposed number of officers and there is no need
some students expressing hike in hostel fee, is of a super panel.
anguish over the prevail- The police, on January 14, had filed
ing situation. A physically supporting the a charge sheet in the court against
challenged student has Kumar and others, including former
apparently written to the call for the boycott JNU students Umar Khalid and Anirban
administration saying he of semester exams Bhattacharya, saying they were leading
has never participated in a procession and supported seditious
any kind of protest and has while management slogans raised in the university campus
always wanted to attend warns students during an event on February 9, 2016.
classes but has not been
able to do so owing to the in a circular LETTERS@TEHELKA.COM

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