JNU VC adjourns academic council meeting after students press demand

New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru University Vice Chancellor M. Jagdeesh Kumar on Tuesday adjourned an academic council meeting after a group of teachers and students pressed their demand to discuss the high-level enquiry committee report related to February 9 incident, which was not part of the agenda.

"The Academic Council meeting today (Tuesday) was not allowed to proceed by a group of teachers and their student supporters who from the very beginning pressed their demand to discuss an issue that was not part of the agenda," the varsity said in a statement.

According to the statement, "a group of teachers sought to force upon the chairperson to take a decision by announcing revocation of the proctorial orders and also refused to the suggestion of the students meeting the Administrative Committee, set up for this purpose, and put forward their concerns".

"Hence the VC adjourned the meeting," it added.

The varsity alleged that when the vice chancellor proceeded toward his office from the venue, some students attempted to surround him by forming a human chain and prevent him from moving forward. 

"Some students literally pulled his shirt and tried to pin him down. However, the VC, with the help of security staff, managed to reach his office," it said.

Meanwhile, one the other hand, Jawaharlal University Students Union vice president Shehla Rashid, in a statement, said: "We are distressed by the fact that no deferrence was shown by the chair to the opinions of the AC members, and the Chair adjourned the meeting abruptly and unreasonably."

Several students of the varsity are on an indefinite hunger strike since April 28, which has been joined by teachers. 

The teachers and students are protesting against the punishments meted out to the students by the high-level committee over an event on February 9 during which anti-India slogans were allegedly raised.