Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
New Delhi
With the Left unity led JNU Students Union pressing ahead with their protest, HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal on Monday said fee related matters of the university had been resolved after discussions with student and teacher representatives and continuation of the agitation was unjustified.
The Minister said the principal demand of JNUSU—related to hostel service and utility charges had been agreed—and there was no cause for protest now.
“The main demand related to increase in service and utility charges and other related issues and has now been settled. The continuation of agitation by the students is no longer justified. I appeal that institutions of higher education should not be converted into a political arena,” the Minister on Monday said adding that 5,000 students had registered for the winter semester.
The JNU Administration had on Saturday issued a statement saying the registration for 2020 winter semester will continue until January 15 without any late fee.
The Ministry in a statement today said it had taken several steps to restore normalcy on campus since JNU Students Union members sat on an agitation against fee hike on October 28, 2019.
“A High Powered Committee was formed after the representatives of agitating JNUSU met the minister. The Committee was appointed to restore normal functioning of JNU through dialogue with all stakeholders and advise the university administration for resolution of contentious issues. In the spirit of recommendations of the committee various meetings were held by Secretary HRD with representatives of students and teachers and JNU administration on December 10 and 11 and certain mutually agreeable agreements were arrived,” the ministry said.
The official statement added that in pursuance of the agreement, JNU has already issued a statement recently that students are not being asked to bear the cost of service and utility charges proposed for the winter session, which was their basic demand.
“As agreed on December 10 and 11 2019, the revised hostel room charges however will remain applicable with 50 per cent concession for BPL students. Therefore, the JNU fee hike issue stands resolved since this was the main demand of the students. Till now more than 5000 students have registered for the winter season,” the Ministry said.
JNUSU on Monday said it would end its agitation only upon complete fee hike rollback.
‘Check facts’
JNUSU on Monday alleged the Ministry had not followed its promise made in December. JNUSU president Aishe Ghosh said JNUSU never signed any mutually agreed agreement. “There was only a record of discussion, no agreement,” she said adding that JNU administration had issued a circular saying utility and service charge will not be imposed in the current registration, which means the charge will be introduced at the very next opportunity.
Ghosh said JNUSU cannot accept the new hostel manual which speaks of Rs 50 a day fine for non-payment of mess dues on time when fellowship disbursal is irregular. “Registration process was started without completing the backlog for the previous semester. The record of discussion mentions a two week buffer time for examinations but VC started classes for the winter semester without examination completion for the first,” the JNUSU said asking the Minister to “check facts and make the VC accountable for his misdeeds”.
Delhi Police vehicles are seen parked at administration block of JNU Campus in New Delhi, Monday, Jan. 13, 2020. A team of Delhi Polices Crime branch on Monday visited the Jawaharlal Nehru University and questioned three students, including Aishe Ghosh in connection with the January 5 violence on the varsity’s campus.
