New Delhi: In more trouble for Jawaharlal Nehru University students Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, a five-member high-level inquiry committee constituted to probe the controversial February 9 event at the university has concluded that the duo facilitated unauthorised entry of some people into the campus.
The panel also found 21 students including the daughter of CPI MP D Raja guilty of violating university norms.
The panel, in its report, stated that Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya were guilty of creating disharmony and spreading divisive tendencies among students.
The panel added that the provocative slogans at the controversial event were raised by a group of outsiders and noted that it was "unfortunate" the students allowed that to happen.
It said holding of the event despite cancellation of permission was an act which amounts to "willful defiance".
The panel also pointed out lapses on the part of the university's security unit, saying it did not make any efforts to stop outsiders from shouting provocative slogans and stop them from leaving the campus.
"The organisers disobeyed the instructions from the administration about not holding the event. This amounts to willful defiance. It is most unfortunate that the organisers allowed the event to be taken over by a group of outsiders who created a charged atmosphere by raising provocative slogans.
"This act by outsiders has brought disrepute to the entire JNU community," the report of the five-member panel said.
"The committee also notes that none of the JNUSU office-bearers acted with due responsibility. The office-bearers had to behave with even more restraint and caution befitting the position they hold.
"They need to rise above the politics and other differences as they represent the student community. It is unbecoming of student representatives that they should be found engaging in disorderly conduct or condoning it," it added.
The report has two sections - findings and recommendations.
The section of findings has been shared by the university with 21 students who have been issued a show-cause notice in this connection. The recommendations have been kept out of public domain.
While the panel identified a few students guilty of procuring permission from the university on the false pretext, it also noted that the Dean of Students (DoS) should have withdrawn the permission in writing and not by sending the text message to the Chief Security Officer.
"It has to be noted that since the event had taken place in 2015 as well, the Dean's office was not vigilant enough to anticipate and prevent this event. Security did not make any efforts to stop outsiders from shouting provocative slogans and prevent them from leaving the campus," the report said.
The report further said that the group of outsiders had their heads and faces covered.
A meeting of the university's top brass, chaired by the Vice-Chancellor, on Tuesday discussed the report following which the varsity issued show-cause notice to 21 students including Kanhaiya Kumar and Umar Khalid, who were found guilty of having violated university rules and discipline norms.
The committee was formed on February 10 to probe the event organised to protest hanging of Afzal Guru, the Parliament attack convict.
Kumar, Khalid and Bhattacharya were arrested on charges of sedition in connection with the programme.
Kumar was released on bail from Tihar on March 3 while Khalid and Bhattacharya are still in judicial custody.
