The court added that it would hear the students’ petitions, challenging JNU’s disciplinary action, only if the 16-day agitation ends.
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“At the outset, the petitioners assured that JNU Student Union would not indulge in any strike or agitation or dharna”.
Asking the agitating students of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) to end their hunger strike, the Delhi High Court on Friday said it would hear their writ petitions challenging the varsity’s disciplinary action only if they inform the court of their affirmative action. “No one should be on hunger strike”.
While Kanhaiya has been fined Rs 10,000, Umar Khalid, Anirban Bhattacharya and others have been rusticated.
The High Court today had asked Kanhaiya to end the indefinite hunger strike by students immediately. “You withdraw this agitation as you can do it”.
An Academic Council meeting at the university was also adjourned on Tuesday amid a ruckus due to heated arguments between students, teachers and administration over the February 9 issue.
The committee asked Bhattacharya to stay out of campus until July 15, then come in for a few days and again keep out from July 23 for five years.
Worth mentioning, apart from Kanhaiya, Umar and Anirban, Ashwati A Nair, Aishwariya Adhikari, Komal Mohite, Chintu Kumari, Anwesha Chakraborty and two others had challenged the order of the JNU administration. The university took the action on April 25 after a high level inquiry committee set up by the varsity administration found them guilty of “misconduct” and “indiscipline”.
The petitioners, who have moved the court now, have challenged the fines imposed on them by the varsity.
The February 9 event led to the arrests of AKanhaiya Kumar, Khalid and Bhattacharya on sedition charges after it was alleged that participants at the event shouted anti-national slogans.
Students later said they were “agreeable” to call off the agitation subject to assurance that they will be protected against any action by the University.
The Court has now issued a notice to JNU seeking its response and directed that the date of deposit of the fine by Mr. Khalid be extended till May 30, the next date of hearing.
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The three students are now out on bail after they were arrested and jailed for sedition.
