Virtually ruling out the possibility of sacking Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Vice Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar, HRD Secretary Amit Khare on Thursday said removal of the V-C is not a solution to the present crisis. But a delegation of JNU Students’ Union (JNUSU) and JNU Teachers’ Association (JNUTA) remained adamant on the VC’s removal.
The agitating students got a boost when senior BJP leader and former HRD Minister Murli Manohar Joshi too called for the removal of the JNU VC. But downplaying those demands, Khare said the HRD Ministry will talk to the JNU VC and the students’ representatives again on Friday over the students’ claims of revised fee not being implemented.
“Removing the VC is not the solution. The basic issue on which the whole problem has arisen needs to be addressed first. Changing X, Y or Z is not as important as resolving the issues that have come up. The basic bone of contention needs to be resolved,” Khare said.
He met a delegation of representatives from JNUSU and JNUTA where they put forward the demand for the VC’s removal. JNUSU president Aishe Ghosh said the students and faculty will not relent till the VC is sacked. Ghosh said they appealed to the HRD Ministry to remove the VC, which in turn said a dialogue will be held on Friday.
“We will not compromise with the HRD Ministry over the removal of the VC. It is still thinking whether the VC should be removed,” said Ghosh.
The HRD Ministry has called the students again on Friday after the meeting with the VC and his team. Ministry officials, however, asserted that a “formula” decided during consultations with students and administration needs to be implemented.
The VC, however, denied claims that the formula arrived at the Ministry is not being fully implemented. “As far as the fee issue is concerned, there has been no deviation from the formula arrived at the HRD Ministry last month. As decided, students are not being charged any services or utility fees,” said the VC. He also claimed to have written to the UGC to release funds for covering the utility and service charges as decided.
The HRD Ministry had in November formed a three-member panel to mediate between the agitating students and administration and restore normalcy in the campus.
According to the formula proposed by the Ministry, the JNU administration would charge only the increased room rent and the service and utility charges were to be borne by the UGC. In return, the students would call off their agitation and engage in dialogue with the university administration.
To compensate for the lost academic period, JNU was asked to extend the semester by two weeks. The university was also advised to notify the students’ union and withdraw police complaints against students.
On the issue raised by students of their Union not being officially notified by the university, HRD Secretary said, “the Ministry’s focus is on academic issues on campus and not political”. “We will talk to the university administration that the fees changes which were decided last month are implemented. We are working on resolving the issues and restoring normalcy. It is a prestigious university and should remain that way,” Khare said. Meanwhile, former HRD minister Murli Manohar Joshi called for the removal of JNU V-C, saying it is “shocking” that he is adamant on not implementing a Government proposal to resolve fee-hike crisis in the university.
“Reports are that the HRD Ministry had twice advised the JNU V-C to implement certain reasonable and working formula for resolving the issue of enhanced fees in JNU. He was also advised to reach out to teachers and students. It is shocking that the V-C is adamant on not implementing the government proposal. This attitude is deplorable and in my opinion such a V-C should not be allowed to continue on this post,” Joshi tweeted. Hundreds of demonstrators, including students and members of civil society organisations, hit the streets on Thursday protesting the recent violence at JNU and demanding resignation of the varsity V-C.