Soon after the Jawaharlal Nehru University administration's High-Level Committee recommended a 50 percent concession in utility and service charges to all students at the varsity on Monday (November 25), the students on Wednesday have reacted to the fee concession calling it 'unacceptable and outrageous'. The JNU students' union has requested everyone to join a burning of the new press release cum circular by the HLC on Wednesday evening at the Freedom Square.
The committee has also recommended a 75 percent reduction in service charges for all eligible Below Poverty Line students. The JNUSU released an official statement that says,"The administration of this university never tires itself from taking ludicrous steps and insult the student community through its circulars and press release. The press release on the night of November 25 by the so-called 'High-Level Committee' established by the self-styled 'Competent Authority' is another outrageous fraud by this incompetent VC and his partners in crime of the so-called HLC. In its deluded estimation, what it thinks is a concession on fee hike is a document unacceptable in its entirety."
The statement also said that the students' message is also directed to the High Power committee, which was appointed by the MHRD last week. "They came for a dialogue and we have participated in the process in the right spirit. When they speedily bring out their recommendations, they may please take note of yet another illegal procedural maneuver by the JNU administartion. Our demands are just and reasonable and any action by the HPC facilitating them can be the only condition for a return to normalcy as all parties wish for," added the statement.
The students made it clear that any attempt to derail or divide the movement against fee hike and to save public education in JNU and beyond will not succeed. "Our protest is for saving our university and we shall continue to do so as long as required. We are in a noncooperation with this incompetent administration," they said, reacting to the fee concession circular by the administration.
The All India Students' Association has also come out in support of the JNUSU, questioning the varsity administration that if they have money to pay for 50 percent concession of all JNU students and 75 percent for BPL families, then 'Why not completely rollback the fee hike?' AISA said, appealing to all students that "this committee report is coming at a time when the MHRD constituted committee has yet to submit its recommendations. We request students not to fall prey to the tactics of distract, divide and divert our movement."
