New Delhi [India], February 26 : The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) on Thursday called for a "complete lockdown" against the arrest of 50 university students, following today's protest march to the Union Education Ministry.
The Union called for a second march from JNU Main Gate to Vasant Kunj Police Station tonight, and appealed to students to gather in large numbers.
"We call upon all the students of JNU to intensify the struggle to ensure a complete lockdown from tonight. We appeal to all students to reach the Main Gate. We will March from JNU Main Gate to Vasant Kunj Police Station," JNUSU announced.
In a statement, the Union condemned the alleged police brutality on the student protestors marching towards the Ministry of Education, demanding the implementation of the Rohith Act and the Vice-Chancellor's resignation. JNUSU further alleged that the injured students have been denied medical assistance.
"Today, JNUSU had called for a march to the Ministry of Education, demanding the implementation of the Rohith Act and the ouster of the current VC, who has been found complicit in multiple corruption charges and has made brazenly casteist remarks," the statement wrote.
"As soon as the students reached the main gate of the campus, the police and other paramilitary forces locked the main gate with chains and multiple layers of barricades. When the students, through collective effort, forced the police to open the main gate, they detained more than 50 students and sent them to several undisclosed locations. Multiple students have faced varying degrees of injuries. The police have denied medical assistance to the injured students," JNUSU stated.
On the other hand, JNU has accused the student protestors led by JNUSU of "vandalism and violence against campus property." It condemned the Union for refusing to accept the "core issue of their rustication."
"JNUSU protestors are demanding UGC regulations to be implemented. This is in violation of the Honorable Supreme Court which issued a stay on the regulations. JNU Vice Chancellor or Registrar have no powers over the regulations," the University wrote in a post on X.
"As per university administration, JNUSU until today has refused to address the core issue of their rustication which is the issue of vandalism and violence against public property unleashed inside campus. JNUSU until today has refused to address this core issue of their rustication. The involved students were held responsible and rusticated, following a proctorial inquiry," it added.
The University further defended the "woman OBC" Vice Chancellor, stating that she has no powers over the Supreme Court's regulations regarding UGC and called the allegations levelled against her by the students "false and diverse from the issue of vandalism."
"JNU is a public university hence accountable to the Government, the Parliament and the Indian taxpayers. It is deplorable that a woman OBC Vice Chancellor is instead attacked on false allegations, only to divert from the issue of violence and vandalism of public property," the post added.
The developments come after student protestors of JNU led by JNUSU (Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union) were detained by Delhi Police after they took out a protest against Vice-Chancellor Santishree D Pandit. After the police locked the university doors and prevented protestors from crossing the barricades, they met with a scuffle, following which the police detained several protestors.
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