JNU Students' Union President Kanhaiya Kumar with Umar Khalid and other students carry out a protest march at JNU campus in New Delhi. (PTI Photo)
Highlights
- Students demand revocation of punitive action by the February 9 panel.
- A protest march led by Kanhaiya Kumar was taken out on the campus.
- University officials maintained decision was taken after thorough probe.
Led by
Kanhaiya Kumar, a group of students from JNU started an indefinite hunger strike on Wednesday night, demanding a rollback of the university authorities' punishment for them.
Mr Kumar and Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya started the hunger strike, declaring that they reject the recommendations of the committee that investigated the events at the programme on
Afzal Guru held in the university on February 9. Days after the event, during which anti-India slogans were raised, all three had been arrested and charged with sedition.
The
university has accused the students of "arousing communal caste feelings, creating disharmony and colluding in the unauthorized entry of outsiders".
"We have been maintaining right from the beginning that we have no faith in the probe committee... the inquiry was a sham," said
JNU Students Union General Secretary Rama Naga.
Based on the findings of the committee, the university on Monday had fined Mr Kumar Rs 10,000 and suspended 3 students, including Umar Khalid, for various durations. Fines were levied on 14 others, hostel facilities of two students were withdrawn and the campus had been declared out of bounds for two former students.
As Mr Kumar declared they would not accept the punishment, pay fine or vacate hostel, the row reached Parliament, where over the Left leaders called the university's action "vengeful".
Mr Kumar's arrest -- and the subsequent student protests across the country -- had made international headlines, with critics alleging the government was intolerant of dissent. Since his release in March, Mr Kumar had repeatedly taken on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and attacked the government for what calls "divisive policies".
Five members of ABVP have also been sitting on hunger strike since yesterday, alleging that the university was "criminalising" patriotism. The protest started after ABVP member Saurabh Sharma -- who was the complainant in the police case - was slapped with a penalty of Rs 10,000 for blocking traffic.