JNUTA asks President to dismiss JNU Vice Chancellor, VC breaks silence, blames striking students

JNU Teachers’ Association on Monday demanded the resignation of the Vice-Chancellor, M Jagadesh Kumar, following unprecedented violence in the campus by ‘outsiders’. The association held that without the complicity of the JNU administration, it was not possible for outsiders to walk inside the campus with iron rods, sticks and hammers and assault teachers and students.

The Association has written a letter to the President apprising him of the situation and asking him to replace the VC, who has consistently refused to hold talks with students and teachers on issues concerning the university.

But the VC, who was conspicuous by his absence all through Sunday evening when outsiders went on the rampage, surfaced on Monday to blame the striking students for the mayhem.

Even as demand for his resignation snowballed, the JNu VC tweeted around 11 am on Monday, “The origin of the present situation in JNU lies in some agitating students turning violent and obstructing the academic activities of a large number of non-protesting students. The protesting students damaged the communication servers to disrupt the winter semester registration.

“They prevented thousands of students from doing their winter registration. Their intent is clearly aimed at disrupting the functioning of the University. This is simply hooliganism and against the ethos of JNU. No such person will be spared and appropriate action will be taken,” he added.

In the meanwhile, two hostel wardens at JNU resigned for their failure to protect the inmates on Sunday evening. The JNU Students’ Union. Reacting to the VC’s tweet, responded on Twitter and said, “ The VC is trying to put a spin on yesterday's attack, after a long night of meetings with the BJP IT Cell. However, everyone, barring him, knows what happened, as JNU students still have access to the internet. Every student of this university is witness to the carnage

Reactions to the VC’s tweet included the following:

• How come you are shedding your responsibility? When Sabarmati Hostel warden resigns citing inability, you are here finding reasons. If you can do anything, the only thing will be, please resign, sir.
• Kal raat neend to acchi aayi hogi Sir ji.. suna hai aapne Police ko entry karne ko rok rakha tha taki Aapki biradri ke log utpaat macha ke chale jayen ( Hope you slept well last night; we are told you had stopped Delhi Police from entering the hostel so that your chosen few could wreak havoc in the campus and then leave).