JNUSU appeals students of other varsities to join strike

New Delhi: The Jawaharlal Nehru Students’ Union (JNUSU) has appealed to students of other universities to join its march to Parliament on Monday, to protest against hostel fee hike and other issues affecting higher education.

The students’ union will be marching from the JNU towards Parliament on Monday, when the winter session will begin.

“At a time when fee hikes are rampant across the country, students have emerged as the first line of defence for inclusive education. We invite all students of Delhi, to join us as we march on foot from JNU to Parliament on the first day of the winter session of Parliament,” the JNUSU said.

It also appealed to students outside Delhi to organise agitations on  Monday to mark a national day of protest, “to safeguard education as a right, and oppose its transformation into a commodity”.

Police said they have made adequate security arrangements along the route of the march. Police personnel will be deployed at all entry points leading towards Parliament from all possible routes starting from southwest district, a senior police official said.

The Delhi Police has registered an FIR in connection with the “vandalism” off administration block of JNU last week, officials said on Sunday.

A section of JNU teachers on Sunday said the JNU administration was open to dialogue with elected hostel representatives but not with the “non-notified” students’ union to end the standoff by students over the hike in hostel fees. Umesh Kadam, the dean of students, said he has not yet notified the students’ union.

JNU Vice Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar has urged students to end the protest.