JNU writes to VP against ‘violation’ of HC order by MPs, teachers reject charge

The Jawaharlal Nehru University on Thursday wrote to the Vice President of India and the Lok Sabha Speaker complaining against what it termed a violation of the High Court order by the two parliamentarians who took part in a protest meeting at the varsity's administrative block.

The varsity authorities argued that the protest meeting was a violation of the court order which had prohibited any kind of protest within 100 meter of the administrative block.

"The JNU administration writes to you with considerable distress regarding an incident today involving honorable parliamentarians, which has violated order of honourable High Court and rules and regulations of JNU.

"JNU Teachers Association (JNUTA) had invited MP Manoj Kumar Jha and Jitendra Choudhary for a protest in the campus, which is their democratic right. However, what is shocking and unexpected is that JNUTA office bearers misled the Members of Parliament and brought them to protest at the administration building which has been prohibited by the High Court," the varsity acting Registrar Ajay Babu wrote in his letter to the Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu.

However, the charges of violation of the court order were dismissed by the JNUTA, which pointed out that the order was meant to prohibit students from protesting at the administrative block and was never imposed on the teachers.

"There is no court order disallowing JNUTA from such a meeting. By making such a false statement - and getting someone who is not even the Registrar to sign it, JNU VC is insulting Parliament and the high constitutional offices to which the letter is addressed," JNUTA Secretary Avinash Kumar said.