JNU stir: Teachers, students demand VC's resignation

New Delhi: A day after the alleged police action against the agitating JNU students left many injured, the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) and the Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers' Union (JNUTA) here on Tuesday attacked the JNU administration and the Delhi Police, and demanded resignation of Vice-Chancellor Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar.

The teachers marched from Ganga Dhaba to the administration block of the university, raising slogans against the Vice-Chancellor. They were accompanied by students who, earlier in the day, had organised a press conference and demonstration at the administration block.

The teachers and the students are demanding total rollback of the proposed 10 per cent annual hostel fee hike.

The students alleged the Delhi Police were "trying to break the backbone" of the protests by detaining union members. The JNUTA has extended support to students.

On Monday, hundreds of JNU students staged a march to Parliament to protest against hike in hostel and mess fees. But the police stopped them mid-way, leading to scuffle. The students then staged a sit-in, which caused traffic snarls across central Delhi.

JNUSU President Aishe Ghosh said, "The police detained around a hundred students, including me and Satish (JNUSU General Secretary), just to prevent the meeting with the MHRD Secretary."

When the meeting took place late Monday night, we were told the V-C and Registrar would not attend, she added.

"The agitation will end only after all our demands are accepted, and if the V-C has a problem with that then we demand his resignation," Ghosh said.

The students are also demanding restoration of reservation for SC/ST students in the hostel, rollback of the proposed hostel fee hike, and withdrawal of the proposal to include contractual workers's salary in the mess bill.

The students have conveyed these demands to the Ministry of Human Resource Development. "The protesting students should not face any enquiry," is another of their demands.

Meanwhile, a scuffle broke out between some TV mediapersons and students during the press conference. The JNUSU members got upset over some pointed questions posed by some journalists.

This led to a verbal duel and a scuffle after which the press conference was called off. The press conference was resumed after some mediapersons were asked to leave.