The students of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) are holding a protest today, Friday, August 18, near Shipra hostel’s warden house against hefty fines being imposed on the students of the hostel.

The students allege that they are being fined twice for the same incident which took place in April in the Shipra hostel. On April 7, a hostel check was conducted at the Shipra hostel premises which was resisted by the residents

“There was a warden checking that happened on April 7 around 1-2 am. The residents resisted the activity and expressed that the authorities should address their concerns instead of barging into their rooms and invading their privacy. There was no violence involved in the resistance. Many of these students were fined Rs 5,000 by the warden. After several rounds with the university admin, the amount was reduced to Rs 3000,” alleged Anagha Pradeep, Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) Councillor.

The students were also asked to undergo a proctorial enquiry which occurred during the semester break when most students were not on campus, they alleged.

“After the inquiry, several students and some of the student activists have again been slapped with fines up to Rs 10,000. These students are being charged twice for demanding basic amenities in the hostel,” Pradeep claimed.

The students have also highlighted that Dr Anshu Joshi, who is the warden of Shipra hostel, was given the charge of Proctor on August 9, just a day before these fines were imposed on the students.

Tonight, at 9 pm, the JNUSU is holding a protest demanding the fines against these students be revoked.