JNU V-C meets HRD team; faces heat for not maintaining normalcy

New Delhi: The JNU Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar, who didn't turn up for a high-level meeting with officials of Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry on being summoned after the brutal attack on students, finally find the time to meet HRD officials on Wednesday.

Kumar, who met Higher Education Secretary Amit Khare and Joint Secretary GC Hosur, faced the heat of HRD officials for not maintaining normalcy in the varsity.

During the meeting, when the JNU V-C was asked as why he didn't informed police soon after the violence, Kumar remained mum for a while and then started giving lame excuses such as attack on students was the outcome of a scuffle between two different groups of students.

However, Kumar was immediately interrupted by Higher Education Secretary Amit Khare by saying that any sort of violence in university will not be accepted and maintaining normalcy in the university is the responsibility of head of the varsity.

Khare also directed the JNU V-C to restore normalcy on campus at earliest by reaching out to students. The officials also told Kumar to facilitate semester registration for willing students.

According to sources, the JNU V-C, who met the HRD team along with Rector-II Prof Satish Chandra Garkoti, tried his best to convince the officials that it was a students' fight which turned violent and there was no mob attack on students.

Kumar, who has been severely criticised by students and faculty members for not doing enough when they were brutally attacked by a masked mob on the campus on Sunday evening, was also apprised about the consequences of violence in the campus.

However, Kumar told senior officials of the ministry that efforts are being made to facilitate registration of "willing" students and for a conducive environment for their academic pursuits.

The JNU V-C, who had suggested HRD Ministry to temporarily shut down the varsity, said on Wednesday that there was no such suggestion made by him. After meeting HRD officials, Kumar said, "The University has not made any suggestions to temporarily shut the varsity. There is no move to do so."