Students involved in ‘scuffle’ to be shifted to new hostel

JNU proctorial report recommends ‘strong warning’ to 6 ABVP members

NEW DELHI, 29/11/2016: Activists of JNUSU protesting at JNU campus "Jawab Do Protest" after 45 days of Najeeb's disappearance, demanding to punish ABVP activists, in New Delhi on Tuesday. Photo: Shanker Chakravarty

: The chief proctor of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has submitted his inquiry report on the “reported scuffle” between missing student Najeeb Ahmed and other students at the Mahi-Mandavi Hostel on October 14. The proctor has identified those involved in the incident and recommended their immediate transfer from the present hostel. He has also recommended that “a strong warning be issued to these students against repeating such a scuffle in the future”.

Appeal to Najeeb

The proctorial inquiry report investigated the incident that allegedly took place the night before M.Sc Biotechnology student Najeeb went missing. The Vice-Chancellor said that he has approved the report and has suggested that after Najeeb is found, disciplinary action awarded by the warden’s committee for vacating hostel premises by Najeeb may be revisited. He appealed to Najeeb to return to the university and resume academic pursuits without apprehensions.

Mohit Pandey, the president of JNU Students' Union (JNUSU), said that the report has identified students involved in the scuffle and has recommended the “mildest punishment” for six ABVP members (Vikrant, Vijender, Aishwarya, Ankit, Abhijeet and Santosh).

JNUSU responds

“JNUSU raises serious doubts on the intention of the administration and points out its visible complicity in the disappearance of Najeeb. We are sure that the V-C has forced changes in the report to shield ABVP activists and has changed many important points, including one that says Najeeb was at the receiving end of group violence (recognised on 16th warden’s committee report),” said Mohit.

Issue with ‘scuffle’

Sources in the JNUSU have also asked why the incident has been “reduced to a mere scuffle when notices sent to students involved in hitting Najeeb and saying derogatory words with provocative intention clearly mentioned the details of the violence”. They also raised an objection to the “mild punishment” meted out without any public pronouncement. They also demanded that the report narrating the whole incident and communal provocation be made public.

Another march

He added that Najeeb's mother has called for a big march on December 14 at 12 p.m. from Mandi House to the Parliament, in which they will seek answers to their questions.

Commenting on the decision to transfer the students to another hostel, ABVP member Saurabh Sharma and former Joint Secretary of JNUSU said that “it is unfortunate on the part of the inquiry committee to fabricate such facts and establish half-truths that never took place. Vikrant in his deposition had clearly mentioned that he was slapped by Najeeb and had lodged an FIR the same night”.

He blamed the politics of JNUSU and JNUTA and Delhi CM for putting pressure on the administration to falsely implicate the students affiliated to the ABVP. “The verdict is definitely not acceptable and we are considering all options to challenge it before the higher authorities,” added Mr. Saurabh.