New Delhi: Tussle over Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) administration and Students Union (JNUSU) took another turn on Wednesday when the latter objected to CCTV camera being set up across hostel inside the varsity. Meanwhile, the varsity has alleged that they were stopped from putting up the CCTV, which they say is a decision taken in the wake of coronavirus.
"The JNU administration condemns the violent prevention of installation of CCTVs at critical points, particularly the main entrance gate of hostels. This is to underline that over a period of last few years, the Provost Committees and Inter Hall Administration (IHA) Committee had repeatedly recommended and emphasised the need for installation of CCTVs at hostel gates," said a statement from the registrar's office.
On the other hand, JNUSU in a statement called the decision a breach in privacy in students' movement. "May we remind you that such a decision impinges upon the students' right to privacy and free movement, and therefore should be struck down and withdrawn immediately," said a statement from JNUSU.
Quoting the High Court's order JNUSU said that CCTV cameras can only be placed in administrative block and main gate of the campus. Meanwhile, the admin has said the CCTV as become imperative keeping in view several law and order incidents.
"In view of several instances of law and order incidences, it has become imperative to install CCTVs at public places including hostel gates. As and when law and order situation arose in the Campus in recent years, and the administration reporter such matters to the police, CCTV footage evidences were demanded by the police," it said.
It also said that the CCTV cameras are being set up to guard hostel premises from outsiders. The admin and students union are also having a tussle over the recently named road. The road has been placed after Sangh parivar icon Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. Where the admin has justified the decision, the union has called it unacceptable. The board was also vandalized on Tuesday, to which right wing student group ABVP has blamed JNUSU for.