The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union told the Delhi High Court on Wednesday that it did not violate the court’s order barring them from protesting within 100 metres of the varsity’s administration block, as it had not prevented access to the building, PTI reported.
The court had passed the order in August. The students have been protesting for several weeks against the university’s order making 75% attendance compulsory.
The students’ union justified its plea by saying that other students’ bodies and associations as well as a teachers’ group had held protests within 100-metres of the administrative building, but no action had been taken against them.
The court is hearing a plea by the Jawaharlal Nehru University administration seeking contempt action against office bearers of the varsity’s students union for violating the court’s order last month. On February 16, the varsity had issued a notice to the office bearers on the matter.
The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union also told the court that its order should not be viewed “technically” because its spirit was to prevent the obstruction of access to the building.
Varsity claims students attacked dean
Meanwhile, the Jawaharlal Nehru University administration alleged on Tuesday that students attacked the Dean of Students Umesh Ashok Kadam after barging into his office. The campus security unit has filed a complaint with the Delhi Police in this regard, ANI reported.
Kadam told The Times of India that he had invited all hostel presidents and four Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union members for a meeting to discuss the increase in fees and fines. “We had a two-hour discussion in which the students raised those issues,” he said. “JNUSU demanded that the hike be reversed but I told them that the varsity has to follow some procedures before they take any decision.”
The dean claimed that when the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union president and vice president realised that their demands would not be met, they called some students and refused to allow him to leave the office. Kadam also alleged that the students blocked access to his office with a sofa. However, JNUSU Vice President Simone Zoya Khan denied the charges.
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