Jawaharlal Nehru University student Umar Khalid has alleged that the university on Monday refused to accept his PhD thesis and those of two other students citing “non-compliance with punishments” meted out to them by a high-level enquiry committee.
“Shocking disregard [and] violation of court by JNU admin,” Khalid tweeted. “Despite categorical instructions of the Delhi HC against any coercive action, JNU admin has blocked on the last day, PhD submissions of me and two others.” Khalid said he moved the Delhi High Court on Monday as this was a brazen violation of the court’s previous order, reported The Hindu.
The appellate authority of the university had penalised Khalid and former president of JNU Students’ Union Kanhaiya Kumar for their involvement in an event to commemorate the death anniversary of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru in February 2016, during which several students were accused of shouting “anti-national slogans”.
The Delhi High Court has restrained the varsity from taking any coercive steps against Khalid till the next date of hearing – August 16. On Friday, the court set aside an order by JNU’s appellate authority penalising Kumar as a result of which he was allowed to submit his thesis on Monday, according to The Indian Express.
“Despite clear instructions from the High Court, the Chief Proctor’s Office is refusing to unblock the process required to submit my PhD,” Khalid said. “They are citing non-compliance with the punishments passed by the HLEC [high-level enquiry committee] as the reason. Today [Monday] is the last date of submission, and we do not know whether we will be allowed to submit the thesis on which we have worked for the last five years.”
Khalid’s thesis on the Adivasis of Jharkhand, has been signed by all authorities concerned except the chief proctor and the finance officer, reported The Indian Express.
Aswathi Nair, whose PhD is on the Political Economy of the Transformation of Zimbabwe, from 1980-2013, too was not allowed to submit her thesis. She had been fined Rs 20,000 for her involvement in the 2016 event. “The chief proctor has completely failed to pay heed to any directive from the court,” Nair said. “Despite bringing to his notice several times that this was in violation of what the court has said, he did not relent.”
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!