JNUSU announces 2 day strike, claims varsity spent lakhs to host Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and Sadhguru

The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) has called for a two-day strike to protest against the varsity for allegedly spending nearly ₹13 lakh to host spiritual gurus Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and Sadhguru.

The students' body claimed that JNU's vice-chancellor had denied registration to a visually challenged student of the Centre for Japanese Studies, Munesh, who was failed due to lack of facilities as the varsity faced a paucity of funds.

However, the VC has spent nearly ₹13 lakh to host babas like Sadhguru and Sri Sri, the JNUSU alleged in a statement.

It has called for a two-day strike on January 8 and 9 against "financial corruption" by the VC and his cronies.

"JNU VC spent nearly ₹87,000 alone on flight tickets for Sri Sri for a programme hosted by the varsity administration. The administration spent ₹2.3 lakh on Sri Sri's programme and ₹1.19 lakh for hosting Sadhguru in JNU under the budget head "Annual Day Celebration"," the JNUSU claimed.

It added that JNU VC had administered an 80% fund cut to library, has not completely disbursed the merit-cum-means scholarships to BA-MA students till date and increased spending on security by 89%.

The JNUSU said it saw this "extravaganza" as part of a larger policy of the Modi government to destroy public education and universities through fund cuts, seats cuts, decimation of reservations and so on.

N Sai Balaji, JNUSU President, stated on a Facebook post, “In a first JNU VC who denied registration to Visually Challenged student Munesh as he was failed by Japanese centre due to lack of proper facilities as JNU lacked funds, has spent nearly ₹13 lakh to host Baba’s like Sadhguru and Sri Sri. JNU VC spent nearly ₹87,000 alone on flight tickets for Sri Sri for a programme hosted by JNU administration. JNUSU believes this must be “Pushpak Vimaan” which hon’ble PM Narendra Modi spoke of in National Science Congress. JNU admin spent ₹2.3 lakh for conduct of on Sri Sri programme and ₹1.19 lakh for hosting Sadhguru in JNU under the budget head “Annual Day Celebration”.”

In the Facebook post he also claimed that the JNU VC was a “puppet” of the Modi government and was diverting funds meant for conducting seminars and academic conferences for renovating the houses of senior officials and constructing statues around the JNU campus.”