As The Health Of Hunger Striking Students In JNU Deteriorates,
The Administration Cuts Them Off From Civil Society
By Countercurrents.org
07 May, 2016
Countercurrents.org
In an attempt to break the morale of hunger striking students of JNU the administration has blocked the entry of outsiders into the campus. A memo issued by Dr. Pramod Kumar, registrar of the university, threatens to evict outsiders from the campus. This memo comes at a time when JNU Teachers Association and the alumni are holding a relay hunger strike in the campus in solidarity with students who are on the 10th day of their indefinite hunger strike. A citizens' human chain also is planned at at 5 PM today. The students allege that there is no restriction in the entry of ABVP members, the student wing of the ruling BJP government, who are freely roaming the campus threatening the hunger striking students. It is presumed that it is to break the solidarity link between the students and the wider civil society that the JNU administration has issued this undemocratic memo.
Meanwhile, the health of many of the hunger striking students have deterioated and JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar is admitted to AIIMS, New Delhi.
Umar Khalid one of the hunger striking students wrote on his Facebook page:
Issuing threats in the name of appeals has been the only response of the JNU administration to the Indefinite Hunger Strike that is going to enter its 10th day now. After calling the hunger strike "unlawful" and "unconstitutional", the latest threat is against involving "outsiders". Threatened by the solidarity that our struggle is receiving from democratic sections across the city, in fact the country, who are thronging to the Freedom Square to be a part of the struggle, JNU administration now wants to break that. Is it a coincidence that this so called appeal has been issued just a day before JNU alumni, along with civil society activists, poets, lawyers, artists, journalists and activists from different people's movements are joining the students in forming a human chain around the Ad Block? Well, Mr. VC anyone who stands for democracy, justice and against fascism is no outsider to JNU, they are as much a part of JNU as the students of JNU who have always stood up for these ideals.
These are the exact same strategies that the University of Hyderabad administration also adopted and stopped Rohith Vemula's mother and brother from entering the university. All this while when the sanghi goons were getting hoodlums from outside the university who were abusing and threatening of violence, when Anupam Kher came with his band of jokers, the JNU administration had absolutely no problems. It is only when our movement is now intensifying that the administration wants to suppress it through these means. It might well happen that tomorrow around 4 pm, the JNU administration might beef up security at the gate and not allow people to come from outside. We need to remain vigilant, and if required some of us should go to the main gate to ensure that people are allowed to enter the campus.
Another hunger striking student Chintu writes:
"Mr. VC. and Mr. Registrar, If there is anyone who is an outsider here, it is the two of you, appointed by Nagpur to destroy all that JNU has ever stood for. Don't you dare tell those who have lived in and breathed JNU for years, or those who despite having never studied here have stood with us shoulder to shoulder to save the secular, democratic and socially just ethos of this campus from your unending assaults, that they are not welcome here any more.You do not own JNU!!Also, If there is anyone who is vitiating the atmosphere of JNU, it is the two of you, who at the behest of your masters in Nagpur are determined to inject the poison of casteism, communalism and patriarchy in the air of JNU!! More than you it is us who are aware of the continuing exams and impending deadlines as it is us who are having to fight the twin battles of study while also struggling to save our right to study from the likes of you!! So keep your cowardly threats to yourself. We are all JNU!! Andar, bahaar, har taraf."