After filing FIR, JNU admin says library to reopen soon
New Delhi: After the Jawaharlal Nehru University on Thursday said that it had filed a police complaint against students who had allegedly "occupied" the BR Ambedkar Library' Central Reading Room, the administration has now said that it is considering reopening the library soon but sought that the students, some of whom are still inside the library, vacate the premises immediately.
Significantly, after the Delhi Police said they had registered an FIR against five students in the matter, the JNUSU issued a statement in solidarity with the students. It said that pupils of the varsity have had a multitude of problems accessing library resources through the digital system that has been set up.
The Students' Union had demanded the FIR be withdrawn and pressed on its demands for reopening the campus and other spaces so that no one lacks access to educational resources.
According to Librarian Manorama Tripathi's statement on Friday, "After due deliberations, keeping in line with government orders and academic interests of the student community, the university administration has decided to take appropriate steps to open the Dr B R Ambedkar Central Library soon. This will comply with the expected announcement of the government regarding further unlocking measures in Delhi."
According to this reported communication, "The library, throughout the lockdown period, has been committed to serving the user community through remote access services and now intends to resume the book issue/ return facility as well. The bonafide students will be welcome to use the reading rooms and avail of other services in strict adherence to the Covid-19 guidelines and library rules. The reading rooms need to be sanitised and seating arrangements changed as per the Covid protocol."
Eventually, Tripathi goes on to say that the students had "unrightfully occupied" the space and must "vacate the place immediately".
The incident is from Tuesday when some students were alleged to have entered the Central Reading Room after engaging in a scuffle with the security staff and beaking a glass pane on the door of the reading room. However, some of these students with demands for the reading room and library to be reopened, have remained there since then and now five of them have been booked.
The JNUSU had on Thursday said that the digital access to the Library and its resources had not been functional for months now and added that the administration was using tactics of "criminal intimidation" with these students.
