JD-U condemns JNU violence, demands VC’s removal

The Janata Dal (United) on Monday condemned the “attitude of Vice Chancellor and other authorities” during the violence on the JNU campus on Sunday and demanded a probe by a Supreme Court judge into the entire incident.

“Janata Dal (United) strongly condemns the violent activities by the goons in the JNU campus. We strongly condemn the attitude of the university Vice Chancellor and other authorities who became silent spectators of the dirty game of the goons. Police officials too failed in performing their duties,” the JD-U said in a statement.

Hundreds of masked goons had on Sunday evening entered the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus and brutally thrashed students and teachers and vandalised hostels, including the girls’ hostel.

The violence continued for around two hours but the university administration, including Vice Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar, remained unreachable. The police remained stationed at the varsity gates but did not enter the campus to stop the violence perpetrated allegedly by Hindutva goons.

“The way the elected office bearers of JNUSU were attacked by the outsiders is to be condemned by all sections of society. JNU is known for debate, dialogue and ideological differences and never for such incidents. This is cowardly act of ideologically defeated in the debate,” the JD-U statement said.

“JD(U) demands a free and fair enquiry by a Supreme Court judge. Also, for the sake of a fair trial the VC and other top administrators must be removed from their respective posts. We express our solidarity with the students of JNU,” it said.

At least 20 students and teachers including JNU Students Union president Aishe Ghosh and senior faculty member professor Sucharita Sen got badly wounded in the attack by the goons.