NLSIU students back NALSAR protest, oppose CJI Surya Kant at convocation

The protest followed oral remarks made by the CJI last month while hearing a petition alleging police excesses during the NEET protests in Delhi, where he reportedly remarked, “Please don’t waste our time. We don’t have time to watch these videos.”

The statement issued by NLSIU students says, “We are aware that the BCI has closed all proceedings against NALSAR. However, the fact that such unconstitutional and illegal proceedings can be initiated by a statutory body against students and faculty members of a public university in the first place does not alter the nature or the larger impact of such actions or dilute the responsibility of the Chairman and the BCI.”

“We stand in unconditional solidarity with our fellow students at NALSAR who have shown exemplary courage and moral conviction in speaking truth to power,” it further says.

NLSIU students have demanded that the BCI unconditionally apologise to students and the faculty community at NALSAR for “attempting to infringe their fundamental right to free speech and expression.”

Last year, CJI Surya Kant had presided over NLSIU’s Annual Convocation, conferring degrees to graduates.

Established under the National Law School of India Act, 1986, the Chief Justice of India is the chancellor of NLSIU, and the BCI chairman is the chairman of the General Council of the law university.