JNU row: Students form human chain to protest fee hike

JNU row: Students form human chain to protest fee hike

New Delhi: Students of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) take out a protest march from Mandi House to Parliament opposing proposed fee hike in JNU, in New Delhi on Nov 23, 2019. Police personnel will restrain from using force against the students following directions from Commissioner of Police Amulya Patnaik. (Photo: IANS)

New Delhi, Nov 27 (IANS) Taking their voices to the main stream, the agitating students of Jawaharlal Nehru University formed a human chain in one of national capital's most visited place for shoppers'- Connaught Place.

The JNU students were accompanied by the students from different universities including students from Jamia Millia Islamia, AIIMS and IIT Delhi.

"All of us are here to make sure our brothers and sisters in JNU are not alone in their fight to get their democratic right of education," Iqbal said who is a Phd student from Jamia.

Speaking during the protest, the president of JNUSU, Aishe Ghosh claimed that the protest was aimed to bring down alleged fee hike in most of the public funded education institute and also revamp JNU's image.

"People think JNU as an institute that is anti-establishment but in actual we are an institute that fights for everyone's democratic rights," Ghosh said.

Ghosh was leading scores of students in the inner circle of the Connaught Place.

"We are happy that after JNU, students from many other educational institutes have also come up against the unjustified fee hike in their varsities," Ghosh added.

Demanding a complete roll back of the proposed hostel fee hike, students of the varsity stood hand-in-hand in the market place and raised slogans against the step.

"Jo Shikshit nahi wo Viksit nahi," (one who is not educated, is not developed), "Fees must fall," were some of the slogans that attracted ears of the shoppers in the market place.

The JNU students have been protesting against the varsity administration's move to hike hostel, mess and security fee, 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 (below the poverty line) category, the students rejected that terming it as an eye wash, and demanded a total rollback of the proposed hostel fee hike.

However on Tuesday, the varsity further extended the concession on service and utility charges, which would benefit all students of the varsity and not just BPL students.

--IANS

rag/rt