New Delhi: The JNU on Monday slapped a fine of Rs 10,000 on student leader Kanhaiya Kumar and rusticated three others for varying durations over their alleged role in the controversial February 9 event for which they were charged with sedition, an action which had sparked outrage and triggered protests.
Based on the findings of a high-level enquiry committee (HLEC), Umar Khalid has been rusticated for one semester and another leader Anirban Bhattacharya till July 15. Umar has also been slapped a fine of Rs 20,000.
Anirban has also been barred from JNU campus for a period of five years from July 23. Kashmiri student, Mujeeb Gattoo, has been rusticated for two semesters. A penalty of Rs 10,000 has been imposed on JNU students union (JNUSU) joint secretary Saurabh Sharma, the only ABVP member in the union. JNU students union president Kanhaiya, Umar and Anirban were arrested on charges of sedition in February in connection with the controversial event and are out on bail.
Their arrests had triggered widespread protests at JNU and many other universities, following which the Opposition had accused the government of attempting to stifle dissent. While Umar and Anirban were blamed for “triggering communal violence” and “disrupting” communal harmony on the campus, Mujeeb was found guilty of participating sloganeering. Kanhaiya was pronounced guilty of indiscipline and misconduct.
Those who have been imposed fine of Rs 20,000 each include former JNUSU President Ashutosh Kumar, former general secretary Chintu Kumari, current General Secretary Rama Naga, Aishwarya Adhikari, former Vice President Anant Prakash Narayan and Gargi for “violating” dissciplinary norms.
The campus has been made out of bounds for two former students — Banojyotsana Lahiri and Draupadi — while hostel facilities of Ashutosh Kumar have been withdrawn for a year and Komal Mohite till July 21. In his reaction, Kanhaiya said the punitive action announced by the authorities was “simply unacceptable” and that the students rejected it.
The students will hold an “all party” meeting later tonight to finalise future course of action. “We completely reject this farcical enquiry report, as it is based on sheer vendetta and a biased enquiry. These are all innocent students, coming from extremely humble and underprivileged backgrounds,” JNUSU Vice President Shehla Rashid Shora said.
The JNU had constituted a five-member high-level enquiry committee to investigate the controversial event at the campus on February 9.
An official of the JNU said financial penalty has been imposed on 14 students including Kanhaiya. Anirban’s punishment is the harshest as he has been debarred from the university for five years. When asked about punishment to Anirban, the official said, “During the period of rustication, the student ceases to exist on rolls of the university but has an option of joining back and re-enrolling in the same course after period of rustication is over. “However, following debarment from the university for a period the student cannot enroll in any course or join any academic activities on campus,” the official said.
He said while Umar and Gattoo will have the option of resuming their courses once the period of rustication is over, Anirban has been given a window of a week (July 16-23) to complete his thesis. “If he is unable to do so, he will not be able to seek an extension or re-enroll as he has been debarred from university for five years on completion of that week.” (PTI)
