May 6, 2016

Press Release

 

We are herewith releasing the copy of the letter handed over to the President of India, seeking his intervention to resolve the current crisis in the Jawaharlal Nehru University. A delegation comprising Shri Digvijay Singh (INC), Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M), D Raja (CPI), K C Tyagi & Pawan Kumar Verma (JD-U), KTS Tulsi (nominated). Majid Memon (NCP) and Baishnab Parida (BJD) met the President at 6.30 p.m. today.

 

 

(Released from CPI(M) Office)

 

Full text of Letter

 

May 6, 2016

 

Hon’ble President of India

Rashtrapati Bhawan

New Delhi

 

Dear Rashtrapath ji,

 

We, the undersigned members of Parliament, have come to you seeking your urgent intervention, as the Visitor of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), to resolve the current crisis that has gripped the university and to restore normalcy.

 

JNU is considered among the best universities in India which has an unblemished global ranking and standing. The current crisis over the disciplinary action by the Vice Chancellor on the basis of a report submitted by the High Level Enquiry Committee (HLEC) threatens to engulf the university in a crisis of unprecedented proportions.

 

You have already been apprised of these developments. Hence these details are not being repeated by us. We however wish to bring to you the following facts:

 

  1. The stringent punitive action against some students including the elected President of the Jawaharlal Nehru Students Union appear to be based on sections of the HLEC report that have been released by the university. These conclusions are based on so-called evidence that is currently under dispute in judicial proceedings. Hence the matter is sub-judice. It is unprecedented that the Vice Chancellor should take such strong action on the basis of so-called evidence which is a sub judice matter.
  2. This so-called evidence have been contradicted by the Delhi government mandated magisterial enquiry. This enquiry points the fact that the grounds on which students have been punished are tenuous at best possibly false. This enquiry has established that the so-called visual evidence electronically recorded has been doctored. Despite this, the university has proceeded on such unprecedented punishment of certain students.
  3. These developments have pushed the JNU students and the academic community into strong responses culminating in the indefinite hunger strike by JNUSU President and some other students. Today is the ninth day of this hunger strike. This continuing hunger strike has led to life threatening health conditions for the students. The President of the Students Union, Kanhaiya Kumar had to be hospitalized at the AIIMS in a precarious condition.
  4. The fact that an overwhelming majority of teachers are backing the students in their demand for fairness is unprecedented and points to the error of the university administration and the Vice Chancellor.

 

Under these circumstances, when the damage to the university is reaching irreparable proportions, we are urging your urgent intervention.

 

As the visitor of the university we hope that you would intervene to ensure that justice is done. All actions taken by the VC and the university administration against the students must be withdrawn forthwith. You will agree that all of us will have to wait till the ongoing judicial proceedings are concluded.

 

We request you to treat this matter with the urgency.

 

 

 

 

Digvijay Singh

Sitaram Yechury

(Indian National Congress)

Communist Party of India (Marxist)

 

 

 

 

 

D Raja

K C Tyagi

Communist Party of India

Janata Dal (United)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pawan Kumar Verma

K T S Tulsi

Janata Dal (United)

Nominated

 

 

 

 

 

Majid Memon

Baishnab Parida

Nationalist Congress Party

Biju Janata Dal