JNU’s new rule a major crackdown on protests, students call it ‘draconian’

NEW DELHI: A major crackdown on students’ protests. Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students will face a fine of Rs 20,000 for holding dharnas and face admission cancellation or a fine of up to Rs 30,000 for resorting to violence. The new rule of JNU was not received well by the students and student groups.

Demanding to roll back the new code of conduct, the ABVP JNU president Umesh Chandra Ajmeera said "There is no need of this new Tuglaki code of conduct meanwhile the old code of conduct is sufficiently effective. Instead of focusing on improvement of safety, security and order, the JNU administration has imposed this draconian code of conduct, without any discussion with the stakeholders, especially the students community. We demand complete roll back of the draconian code of conduct."

The JNU Students' Union has called a meeting of all student organisations on Thursday to discuss the new rules.

The 10-page ‘Rules of Discipline and proper conduct of students of JNU' has laid out punishments for different kinds of acts like protests and forgery, and procedures for proctorial enquiry and recording a statement. According to the document, the rules came into effect on February 3.

JNU’s new code of conduct comes in the background of the recent BBC documentary screening protests carried out by the students’ union.

Chief Proctor Rajnish Mishra told PTI, "There were rules mentioned in the statute. However, the new rules have been formulated after a proctorial enquiry." He did not reveal when this proctorial enquiry started and when asked whether old rules have been modified, he replied in affirmation.

“JNU management initiated a new rule of the penalty of Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000, to stop the protest and to silence the voice of the students. That shows govt is afraid of question,” a Twitter user said.