Left parties, BJP spar over JNU students’ protests

Through a Zero Hour mention, K K Ragesh of the CPI(M) raised the matter and sought a judicial probe into police action against agitating students.

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Visual from the protest at JNU. (File)

Members of the Left parties and the BJP on Friday sparred in Rajya Sabha over the protests by Jawaharlal Nehru University students against a hike in hostel fees and a draft hostel manual which imposes dress codes and curfew timings.

Through a Zero Hour mention, K K Ragesh of the CPI(M) raised the matter and sought a judicial probe into police action against agitating students.

Immediately after this, Prabhat Jha of the BJP raised the issue of the “defacement” of a yet-to-be-unveiled statue of Swami Vivekananda on JNU campus. He then went on to raise the issue of the alleged anti-India slogans raised by JNU students and demanded the Central government’s oversight of activities in JNU. This was strongly countered by Left members.

Ragesh said JNU students have been protesting for over one month, demanding the roll back of the fee hike and restoration of democratic rights on campus.

He asked why civil liberties were being “suppressed” after declaring an “undeclared emergency”. As he demanded a judicial probe into the police action on the students, Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu cut him short, saying he had not spoken on the fee hike, which was the subject admitted.

After Jha had spoken, Naidu said that only the submission on the JNU fee hike and the defacement of the Vivekananda statue was admitted.

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