Demanding that the panel probing the Afzal Guru row at JNU starts its enquiry afresh and eight students who have been academically debarred in connection with the incident be reinstated, the JNU Students’ Union shot a letter to Vice-Chancellor M Jagdesh Kumar.
University Registrar Bhupinder Zutshi, however, maintained that it is for the panel members to decide if they want to start afresh and varsity will not “dictate” terms to the committee.
“Any fair enquiry can take place only when actions taken by the ongoing process where eight students suspended are summarily revoked and the probe process starts afresh to ensure the enquiry is unbiased and representative,” said the JNUSU.
“Mere inductions of new members in the middle of an enquiry fail to render any additional credibility to the enquiry. If some depositions had already happened, how will the new members get a chance to question them,” it added.
The union has also questioned “credibility” of probe panel chief Rakesh Bhatnagar saying he was associated with the now defunct “Youth for Enquiry forum”, which they alleged had right-wing leanings.
While Bhatnagar refused to comment on the issue, the Registrar said, “He is a professor and scientist of repute. He has been appointed to the committee on the basis of his credentials and not any other reason”.
The JNU administration had instituted the “disciplinary” committee to enquire as to how the event on February 9 against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru took place despite the withdrawal of permission for the same.
On the basis of a preliminary report by the panel, the varsity had debarred eight students from academic activity while allowing them to stay as guests in hostels till the enquiry proceedings were over.