16 JNU students issued notice for September protest outside V-C residence

The show cause notice dated December 13, issued by the chief proctor to JNU Students Union (JNUSU) president Aishe Ghosh, read that in a proctorial enquiry, she had been “found guilty of leading a protest demonstration of 400-500 students in front of the Hon’ble V-C’s residence” on September 19.

It further said the demonstration falls under an item in the statutes of the university that refers to “gheraos, laying siege or staging demonstrations around the residence of any member of the university community or any other form of coercion, intimidation or disturbance of right to privacy to the residents of the campus” and “any other act which may be considered by the V-C or any other competent authority to be an act of violation of discipline and conduct”.

The notice added that this was a violation of the Academic Rules and Regulations of the University, which states that “hunger strikes, dharnas, and other peaceful and democratic forms of protest and group bargaining shall be conducted with restraint, i.e. at a distance of 100 metres away from the Administrative and Academic complexes”.

JNU V-C Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit said the students had violated a Delhi High Court order “of (no protests within) 100 metres from the V-C’s residence” and “another rule of the court of no protests in residential areas between 11 pm and 6 am”. She added that she had met the students the day after the protest and told them “I will put no cases, but contempt of HC orders can’t be helped.”

“Several meetings were held with wardens and still they wanted to protest after 11 pm in front of my residence… water shortage is in Delhi-NCR… I told them my administration has written so many letters and gave them copies of it,” she added.

Ghosh said notices have been issued to 12 hostel presidents, three current JNUSU members, and one former member. “It was a protest march which culminated in front of the V-C’s residence. In this matter, we have not disrupted anything. We have not protested at the administrative blocks, we have not stopped the V-C or any official from carrying out duties. The water problem had persisted for almost two weeks, but the crisis in South Delhi became quite serious when G20 was happening. The hostel presidents finally decided on a protest when nothing worked… we had met the wardens, and they said they can’t do anything about it,” Ghosh said.

The notice asks for a response by December 18, failing which, action will be taken against the students.