JNU row: JNUSU warns admin not to test students' patience

 In a strongly worded reaction to the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) administration's latest announced concession to students on service and utility charges, the JNU Students Union (JNUSU) on Tuesday advised the administration to think twice before engaging in "juvenile stunts" and "testing the patience" of students.

"The administration should think twice before engaging in such juvenile stunts and testing the patience of the students," said an official statement by the JNUSU.

The JNU administration had earlier announced a concession of 50 per cent for all students in the service and utility charges, while 75 per cent concession on the same for eligible below poverty line (BPL) category students.

The decision was made after a JNU high-level committee recommended these concession in a report submitted to the administration on Monday night.

Reacting to the decision, the JNUSU said: "If it (administration) thinks this is some sort of bargaining going on where it can dangle out carrots to placate agitating students, it has a very limited idea of JNU students and refuses to learn. We warn it not to test our patience."

The students union claimed that in adopting the recommendation of the high-level Committee, the JNU administration has bypassed all statutory bodies of the varsity which should have been involved in the decision making.

"Statutory bodies like the IHA, Executive Council and other deliberative structures have been completely bypassed. Hence if accepted, this would set a precedent where any High Level Committee can be formed in the future to take any arbitrary steps without the need to call any meeting of the consultative bodies," the union said.

Citing an IANS exclusive story, the union targeted the varsity administration of not having a roadmap to pass on benefits of concession to the BPL category students which it had announced on November 13 to pacify the agitating students.

"The administration has no idea as to how it is going to implement the so called relief for BPL Students. The Vice Chancellor in an interview has himself acknowledged the same by saying that with regard to implementation of the relief 'they will cross the bridge when it comes'," JNUSU said.

The Union also alerted the high powered committee formed by the Human Resource Development Ministry to initiate a dialogue with the agitating students who had raised the issue that the administration was running away from dialogue with the students.

"When they (High Power Committee) speedily bring out their recommendations, they may please take note of yet another illegal procedural maneouver by the JNU administration," the union added.

JNU students have been protesting against the varsity's move to hike hostel, mess and security fees, reportedly by 400 per cent. It has also limited the hostel timings.

While the JNU administration later announced a 50 per cent concession for those belonging to the BPL category, the students rejected this terming it as an eye wash, and demanded a total rollback of the proposed hostel fee hike.

On Tuesday, however, the university further extended the concession on service and utility charges, which would benefit all students and not just the BPL category.
IANS