As the HRD Ministry met officials from the JNU administration on Monday and took stock of the situation on the campus following Sunday’s violence, Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar skipped the meeting.
Violence broke out at the Jawaharlal Nehru University on Sunday night as a group of masked, armed people went on a rampage inside the campus and attacked students and teachers.
JNU students’ union president Aishe Ghosh who was injured in the attack said the JNUSU had called for a strike of universities across the country on January 8.
The JNU officials’ meeting at the HRD Ministry which went on for over two hours was attended by the JNU registrar, proctor and other admin officials who briefed the ministry officials on the sequence of events that unfolded on the campus and the measures taken to restore normalcy.
The ministry had on Sunday sought an immediate report from JNU Registrar Pramod Kumar after the violence broke out and students and teachers were attacked.
There was heavy deployment of police on Monday outside the Shashtri Bhawan here which houses the HRD Ministry.
“A detailed report has been sent to the HRD Ministry about the sequence of events. The top administration officials are at the ministry to provide all details leading to present situation,” JNU Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar told PTI.
JNU attack was ‘organised’, nexus between varsity security & vandals: Aishe Ghosh
JNU Students’ Union president Aishe Ghosh on Monday said she was hit with multiple rods during Sunday’s “organised” attack on the campus, but every iron rod used against students will be answered to by debate and discussion and the university’s culture will never be eroded.
Ghosh, who was admitted to a hospital after sustaining injuries in the attack, demanded the resignation of Vice Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar, saying he had not bothered to meet or check upon the injured students and professors.
She said that the university security staff had colluded with the vandals during the attack and added that some RSS-affiliated professors had been promoting violence for the past four-five days.
Ghosh, who was discharged on Monday, attended a press conference convened by the students’ union amid cries of ‘Lal Salaam’ and ‘Red Salute’.
“There is a clear nexus between the JNU security (staff) and vandals. They did not intervene to stop violence,” she told reporters.
She said that dean of School Of International Studies Ashwini Mohapatra had threatened her on Saturday when she was present at the school to ensure boycott of the registration process. She claimed that he had told her that he will get FIRs registered against her.
Mohapatra, however, denied the allegations.
“I do not even know her. I had gone to the school building on Saturday in my capacity as dean to ensure that the registration process happens. I was not allowed to enter the building by students who even held my collar and got into a scuffle with me, following which my younger colleagues rescued me and took me aside,” he said.
Delhi Police has registered a case against unidentified people for rioting and damage to property. Ghosh, who was among the 34 students admitted at the AIIMS and Safdurjung hospitals, was discharged on Monday.
Narrating the attack on her, Ghosh said they were singled out beside a car that was also vandalised.
“I was surrounded by 30 persons who hit me with iron rods continuously. We were punched. They were about to lynch us and were abusing us,” she said.
“This is not tolerable. The VC must resign and if he is not resigning, the HRD Ministry should ensure his removal,” said.
Ghosh alleged that while some of the ABVP volunteers were from JNU, many others had been called from outside. She said she had informed the SHO of the nearest police station about it besides senior officers but there was no response.
JNUSU vice president Saket Moon said the students’ body called up the police for two hours, but did not get any help.
“Between 7-9 pm, we called the police multiple times but no one came. Even after the police had entered the campus, they attacked common students rather than the vandals,” Moon added.
(With PTI inputs)