A section of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) teachers has accused that students’ union member of misbehaving with them during the Academic Council (AC) meeting to discuss introduction of courses in yoga and Indian culture last week.
The teachers alleged that JNUSU office bearers attacked a teacher during the meeting, who did not wish to be identified.
The JNUSU office bearers, however, denied the charge that they mistreated teachers during the council meeting. The aggrieved teachers have lodged a complaint in this regard at Vasant Kunj North police station. When asked about the incident, a police officer of South district that said a complaint has been received and the matter is being looked into
“They shouted intimidatory and belligerent slogans to threaten, destroy and kill the professor. They had gone so berserk and unbridled that they banged the (professor’s) car with the intention to injure or physically abuse the faculty member,” the teachers said in a complaint to the Vice Chancellor (V-C) M Jagdesh Kumar.
When the JNU security personnel tried to make way for the teacher’s car, the students lay on the road to stop the vehicle, they claimed. The professor has also filed a police complaint at Vasant Kunj North police station.
The teachers have also submitted a memorandum of demands to the V-C in wake of the alleged violence.
“An immediate enquiry in the alleged violence be ordered and show-cause notices be issued to the students involved in leading the JNUSU group to violence.
“The administration should ensure that on the day of the Academic Council or any other official meeting which involves crucial decisions for the university academics, no student or any other agitation should be allowed around the location of the meeting and staging of any demonstration should be banned,” the memorandum said.
The meeting of the Academic Council, the statutory decision making body of the university was held during which a proposal to introduce short term courses in Yoga and Indian culture was rejected due to lack of majority.