JNU student leader fined Rs 10,000 for forcibly opening Teflas Students Union Office

The order said, “This act of Ms Aishe Ghosh is serious in nature, unbecoming of a student of JNU and calls for a strict disciplinary action against her. However, keeping her career prospects in mind, the competent authority has taken a somewhat lenient view in the matter”.

As per the amended proctorial rules of the university, the students can now be charged up to Rs 20,000 for protesting near the administrative building and can also face expulsion or rustication from campus for two semesters.

The Jawaharlal Nehru University administration charged Ghosh under Item 3, Category II (xxv) of Statute 32 (5) of the statutes of the university, which states “Any other act which may be considered by the VC or any other competent authority to be an act of violation of discipline and conduct.”

Meanwhile, Ghosh told The Indian Express that the new proctorial rules, which the administration claims to have been passed by the executive council of JNU, is a step ahead of criminalising dissent. “Firstly, the document was passed in the executive committee meeting which does not have any student representatives and without even any discussion in the Academic council which should deliberate on policies affecting the student community,” the student said.

Secondly, the new ‘Fine Raj’ has become a way for Vice-Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit-led JNU administration to fill their pockets out of the pain of the students, she alleged.

“Students are at the receiving end of pathetic and worsening infrastructure and academic qualities and the only way the students can express their dissent is to protest against the injustice happening. Finally, the fines are also levied in a way that the overall dissent can be curbed and a culture is being built where no protest happens even if grave injustice is happening. The VC who claimed recently that PM Modi is the tallest spokesperson of democracy is exactly following his footsteps to kill the democratic culture of our university,” Ghosh added.

In August, two JNU students were penalised Rs 10,000 each by the administration which found them guilty of misbehaving with a warden of Shipra hostel on the campus.