Hundreds of students of Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University are protesting against the 300% hike in hostel fee. The protesting students clashed with the police and paramilitary forces that have been deployed outside the campus. Policemen in riot gear, completely outnumbered by the students, hit the students with batons and used water cannons on the mob that was trying to meet the vice-chancellor over the fee hike after the barricades were dragged away by the protesting students.
The students, protesting a massive hike in hostel fees, curfew timings and dress codes, amped up their agitation today, as the university held its convocation. They say the massive fee hike will incapacitate students from deprived families to continue their studies at the elite institute.
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal earlier attended a convocation ceremony today at JNU.
Here are the LIVE updates of the JNU students' protests:
Traffic movement has been restored on the Nelson Mandela Marg as students end protests for the day.
Angry JNU students jeered Delhi Police with "Tis Hazri, Tis Hazari" slogans after the police allegedly pushed some students, including women, who were holding a massive protest outside the campus gate on Monday, reported news agency IANS.
Delhi Traffic Police tweeted an advisory asking commuters to avoid Nelson Mandela Marg where the JNU students are protesting. "Traffic movement is closed on Nelson Mandela Marg from Vasant Vihar to Vasant Kunj (both carriageways) due to demonstration. Kindly avoid the stretch," they tweeted.
Traffic Alert
- Delhi Traffic Police (@dtptraffic) November 11, 2019
Traffic Movement is closed on Nelson Mandela Marg from PS Vasant Vihar to PS Vasant Kunj (both carriageways)due to demonstration. Kindly avoid the stretch.
Mandeep S Randhawa, Delhi Police PRO: Police while exercising restraint have kept the situation under control. We are in contact with Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) authorities as well as students. Our talks with the students are on. https://t.co/Smuhr7hfvx pic.twitter.com/O94b2OpFpI
- ANI (@ANI) November 11, 2019
Ramesh Pokhriyal, who attended a convocation ceremony at the AICTE auditorium, met the students and assured that their problems will be resolved soon, the HRD Ministry tweeted
AICTE परिसर में आज मानव संसाधन विकास मंत्री श्री रमेश पोखरियाल निशंक ने JNU विद्यार्थियों से उनकी समस्याओं को लेकर सकारात्मक वार्ता की l केंद्रीय मंत्री ने यह आश्वासन दिया कि उनकी समस्याओं का शीघ्र ही उचित हल निकाला जाएगा l@DrRPNishank @PIB_India @PIBHindi @MIB_India
- Ministry of HRD (@HRDMinistry) November 11, 2019
"The fee hike will affect an overwhelming number of students. It denies those from the deprived sections to avail education if they cannot pay," the JNU Students Union has said in a statement.
"It crushes the dream of equality irrespective of ability to afford. Other provisions like Dress Code and Curfew timings reflect the regressive dystopia that the admin wants JNU to become," the students' body added.
JNU Students Protesting 300 Per Cent Fee Hike Clash With Cops: 10 PointsThe students, objecting for a week over a 300 per cent hike in hostel fees, amped up their protests today, as the university held its convocation. The hostel fees, currently around Rs 2500, will be hiked to around Rs 7,500, say students. They say this will incapacitate students from deprived families who have made it to the elite institution to continue their studies."
