NEW DELHI: Even as the students’ union at Jawaharlal Nehru University-owned up to the defacement of walls of the administrative block, the varsity authorities on Friday lodged a complaint with Delhi Police demanding action against those involved.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police, southwest, Devender Arya, said that the complaint received from JNU authorities was being looked into. While Vice Chancellor Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar had earlier said that the culprits had been identified, the DCP refused to share the content of the complaint.
There was no response from the VC on Friday, nevertheless.
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About 200 people gathered at the administrative block for another protest against the hostel fee hike and the failure of their efforts to discuss the issue with Kumar. JNUSU president Aishe Ghosh said that the union didn’t have any record of the police complaint.
She said, “Before this administration tore off our wall posters, wall paintings and posters have been an integral part of JNU culture, where students put their voices and messages. Tearing them in front of us was quite disheartening. Many international festivals have covered the posters. They were a part of our legacy, but the JNU administration didn’t even spare that. Painting and art is in no form vandalism.”
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She said the students, who have been protesting for the last 18 days against the fee hike, were at the administrative block for two days, waiting to speak with the VC. She said that the union didn’t fear any action taken by the administration against the defacement of the walls.
“The place always belonged to the students. This VC has made this a very bureaucratic place where students won’t come; he would not meet anyone. This is a form of resistance from students who are facing oppression for the last four years.”
Ghosh said that painting on the walls of the administrative block and on the pedestal of the veiled statue of Vivekananda was not vandalism.
She further said that students would march to Parliament on Monday, which is the first day of the winter session.
“We are thinking of storming the streets to tell people that what is happening in JNU is not right, and to put pressure on the HRD minister (Ramesh Pokhriyal), who promised that he would meet us, but till date there hasn’t been a formal confirmation on that. There has been no major rollback (of hostel draft manual).”
Circular burnt
The JNU Students’ Union on Friday evening burnt the circular issued by the administration announcing a “partial rollback” of the hostel fee hike. Students from marginalised sections shared stories of how the rollback would fail to solve their problems. The students are still occupying the administrative block.