No sign of VC as JNU protest turns violent
New Delhi: The gates of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) that takes one to All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) were heavily barricaded, with hundreds of CRPF personnel deployed around the area on Monday. The police had surrounded the students with police vans and DTC buses blocking one side of the road. The road opposite the institute was used to ease the traffic movement.
The nine hour drama, which turned violent as police used water cannon and lathi charge to disperse the students, ended by Monday evening as students dispersed with no dialogue between them and the administration or Vice Chancellor Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar.
As hundreds of agitated students raised slogans demanding to meet the VC, regarding the new hostel manual, water cannon was used to disperse the crowd. "We were just sitting in front of the water cannon truck, because why would they bring it to a students' protest?" asked a student. She said that suddenly the police used water cannon on the students. As the students ran haywire, they collected back again and started shouting in front of the van. A few students and police personnel also clashed. "How can you use water cannon on students? Do you want to kill us?" shouted angry students. After the students agitated the water cannon was moved back, while students sat in front of it. A few students were injured in the process.
On Sunday night, a circular went viral among students, asking them to join the march against the new hostel manual, according to which there has been a hike in hostel fee. The students then marched towards AICTE. "We want to have a dialogue with the VC regarding the hostel fee hike. We don't care about other ministers, they can leave, but the VC needs to have a dialogue with the students," an agitated student Gaurav told Millennium Post.
According to the new manual rent for student single room hiked from Rs 20 to Rs 600, rent for student double room hiked from Rs 10 to Rs 300, one-time refundable mess security deposit hiked from Rs 5,500 to Rs 12,000. "I am a daughter of a farmer, I came here on merit, my parents can't afford this much amount. What am I supposed to do now? This is wrong and the VC hasn't met or talked to the students even once. It has been three years and not even once has he interacted with the students over various issues," said another student, who was standing in front of the water cannon truck. Even though the students said they won't move until they meet the VC, the students dispersed with no news of VC coming from inside the institute.
The students were also manhandled by the police, and despite gender, police beat up students and tried to drag them from the institute's gate. "Male constables dragged female students. They scratched us as well," alleged Pooja, a Delhi student from JNU. As of now, no talks have taken place between the students and the admin, meaning the new manual has been implemented, even though the students reject it. The protest against the manual has been going on for 18 days and is expected to continue.
The students planned the protest outside AICTE, where a convocation for JNU students was taking place, which was attended by Vice President Venkaiah Naidu and Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal.
