Earlier this week, news broke of an FIR filed against JNU Student Union President Aishe Ghosh, along with 19 others, for allegedly misbehaving with security guards and damaging public property.
The Charges:
On Sunday, 5th Jan 2020, the authorities of JNU filed a complaint against 20 students in Vasant Kunj North Police Station, under:
-IPC Section 323 i.e. Punishment for causing voluntary hurt
-Section 341 i.e. Punishment for wrongful restraint, and
-506 i.e. Punishment for criminal intimidation
According to sources, the two alleged incidents on which the complaints are made took place on 1st and 4th January. Ironically, the complaint was filed on the same day as the horrific JNU attacks.
The Aftermath of Attacks And Police Complaint:
Nation-wide protests condemned the brutal nature of the attack and the role of security as mute spectators. Many came forward in support of Aishe, who was also injured during the violence after the news of the FIR against her broke.
In an interview with NDTV post her discharge from hospital, Aishe stated she had committed no such crime. Referring to the accusations as fabrications of the University authorities, she claimed, “The administration is cleverly playing and trying to shield the perpetrators”.
As she told her side of the tale, Ghosh revealed that she was the one who was slapped by a security guard during one of the incidents mentioned above. She went on to say that there was no proof supporting the claims made against her, “I have not done any violence. The police first need to have proof against me to take action“.
Aishe said that despite the horrific act of violence, JNU Vice-Chancellor Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar did not visit those who had to be admitted to the hospital. She blamed the authorities for protecting the real culprits behind JNU attacks, questioning their intent.
Administration v/s Student Union:
The JNU Administration and Student Union have constantly been at loggerheads ever since M Jagadesh Kumar became the University’s Vice-Chancellor, in 2016. Barely a week into his appointment, there were student protests against the hanging of Afzal Guru and the subsequent arrest of Kanhaiya Kumar, the then-President of JNU Student Union.
Months later, another series of protests broke out after when Najeeb Ahmad, a student at JNU went missing, after an alleged scuffle, with a few student members of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).
Finally, the most recent controversy was the JNU Housing fee hike a few months back, which resulted in Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal being stuck for six hours at the University’s convocation venue, as the students took the streets to protest.
The fee hike prompted the Student Union and staff members of JNU to demand M Jagadesh Kumar’s resignation as the Vice-Chancellor.
As of 9th January, M Jagadesh Kumar is facing pressure from all ends to tender his resignation. This includes ex-Union HRD Minister Murli Manohar Joshi. The Vice-Chancellor will have a meeting with Union HRD Secretary today.