The “committee of suspended students” and the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), who had blocked the Administration Block at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), said on Sunday that they were calling off the blockade.
Sunny Dhiman of the NSUI said: “The move was initiated after rise of dissatisfaction among karamcharis and students about the inconvenience.”
He added that they were giving the Vice-Chancellor time till March 3 to meet the students and explain his stand. Mr. Dhiman said they were hoping for some relief from the High Court on March 3, the day of the hearing.
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Unclear about blockade
However, JNU Registrar Pramod Kumar said he had not received any assurance from the students. “There are so many groups. I don’t know which group, if it has, has given the call to allow the administration to function properly.”
Meanwhile, Dean of Students Rana P. Singh said the illegal occupation of the admin block by a small group of “wayward” students had entered Day 18 and that it was an “unmistakable disgrace” to the ethos of JNU, which values freedom of speech and expression, debate and discussion.
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In a statement, the university called the protesting students ‘self-seeking agitators’.