JNUSU calls off 16-day strike after Delhi HC advice

The JNU Students’ Union called off its 16-day hungerstrike after the Delhi high court on Friday asked its president Kanhaiya Kumar to immediately end the indefinite strike by students and allow the varsity to function properly.

“Keeping in mind the court’s direction, the hungerstrike has been called off. A meeting was held late night (Friday) in which it was decided to call off the hungerstrike. Since the high court has directed that the university should be allowed to function normally, the high-level inquiry committee matter will be taken up later,” a source told this newspaper.

The court also ordered a conditional stay on punishments imposed by the university administration in connection with the controversial February 9 event.

“Our fight will continue till the vice-chancellor revokes the punishments. We have raised our demands with the administration and wanted to negotiate with them, but we were forced to go to the court as the university authorities did not pay any heed to our petitions,” JNUSU vice-president She-hla Rashid Shora said.

The high court’s direction came while it was hearing pleas of JNU students Anirban Bhattacharya and Umar Khalid along with Kanhaiya Kumar, Ashwati A. Nair, Aishwariya Adhi-kari, Komal Mohite, Chi-ntu Kumari, and Anwesha Chakraborty, seeking relief over punishments imposed on them by the JNU administration.

The HC had on Friday morning sought an undertaking from Mr Kumar that he will allow the university to function properly and there will be no agitation.

“You (Mr Kumar) can ‘articulate’ to the students sitting on hungerstrike from past 16 days to end the agitation, allowing the university to ‘function properly’,” Justice Manmohan said.

The HC also asked senior advocate Rebecca John, representing Mr Kumar, to ask him to speak to the students to end their strike.

“You (Mr Kumar) are a ranger and if you speak to the students, they will abide by you and will end their strike.”

“You withdraw this agitation as you can do it,” the court said, adding, “If you abide by our directions only then I will hear the petitions before me.”

“Have faith in judiciary. You will have to give an undertaking that you are going to end the strike and allow the college to function properly. You have to ensure that there is no agitation,” the judge observed.

The also asked Mr Kumar’s counsel to persuade them to end their strike. The counsel present in court on behalf of JNUSU president and others said they will coordinate with the students and will get back to the court.