The confrontation between the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) administration and its student leaders seems endless with the former having suspended three representatives of the JNU Students’ Union (JNUSU) from its statutory bodies and committees over alleged “unruly behaviour” and “misconduct” in June 16 Academic Council meeting.
JNUSU president Mohit Kumar Pandey, general secretary Satarupa Chakraborty and joint secretary Tabrez Hassan received suspension letters on Thursday for using “unparliamentary language”, “unruly behaviour” and “unauthorised video-recording” during the last Academic Council meeting.
The JNUSU members, however, alleged that they were heckled and manhandled by a section of teachers at the Academic Council meeting.
The administration has constituted an enquiry committee under the chief proctor to look into the issue. The students would remain suspended from these bodies until the outcome of the probe.
“There is prima facie evidence of misconduct and indiscipline by Mohit Kumar Pandey. He is, hereby, suspended from participating in all statutory bodies and committees of the varsity with immediate effect until the final outcome of the Proctorial Enquiry Committee,” reads a letter issued by the administration. The letter states that the Proctor office has received report from Registrar mentioning that eyewitnesses were present during unruly behaviour of the JNUSU president.
The JNUSU said that it is “sheer targeting” of students representatives by the JNU administration. “The manner in which a student representative has been barred from attending important meetings that decide matters concerning students exposes the real intention of the administration. True to its dark history, the JNU administration under the leadership of VC Jagadesh Kumar yet again attempted to silence critical voices,” the union said in a statement.
JNUSU general secretary Satarupa Chakraborty said, “Tomorrow is the Standing Committee meeting and the JNUSU has not been sent any letter. This is nothing but a planned attack on us. First we were not allowed to voice our dissent and then we had to undergo harassment by few faculty members in the AC meeting.”
Chakraborty said that the JNUSU will stand “firmly” to “fight back”.
Refuting the allegations of the administration, JNU Teachers’ Association president Ayesha Kidwai said the JNUTA was a witness to the violations committed by the vice-chancellor and his team. “For the first time in JNU’s history, JNUSU representatives were not allowed to speak even once, and the physical challenges on them by some faculty members were not once rebuked by the chair (VC),” Kidwai said in a release. The JNUTA also accused the administration of video recording the proceedings of the May 9 AC meeting without seeking permission of the members. “JNUTA expresses solidarity with JNUSU in its struggle to keep democracy alive in university functioning,” she said.