A fact-finding report released by the Congress party has raised several key concerns about decisions made by the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) administration officials, as well as the role played by right-wing affiliated groups in the violence that took place on campus on January 5.
The fact-finding committee comprised Mahila Congress Chief Sushmita Dev, Rajya Sabha MP Syed Nasir Hussain, Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden and AICC member Amrita Dhawan.
The report says, “There is every reason to believe that the mob that attacked the students and teachers on campus were from the right-wing factions. The WhatsApp groups like ‘Friends of RSS’ & ‘Unity against Left’ that were used to mobilise and provoke people to attack the students and faculty on campus speaks volumes about the ideology of the people involved in the attack.”
The report also makes a series of allegations against the Vice Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar, terming him the “mastermind” of the attack. It says, “… on the 5th of January when the violence started despite several calls form the students to the police for help, the Vice Chancellor did not give permission for the police to enter the premises. The press release of the Vice Chancellor on 5th January 2020 states the administration called the police at about 4.30pm but the police has given a statement that they were allowed to enter the Campus at about 7.45 pm by the administration.”
There are also serious allegations against the police. The report says, “The police received many calls stating an emergency but did not respond. The police on campus watched the attackers move around freely on campus armed and they did not make any arrests. The deployment arrived on campus hours after SOS calls went from the campus. There is ample evidence of their negligence and complicity to allow violence on campus. They even beat students during flag march at 7.45 pm.”
The report also highlights the complicity of the university administration by questioning the role of the private security company hired to protect the campus as well as a hostel warden. It says, “There is sufficient evidence to show that the attackers were allowed free passage while entering and exiting the campus by the security company (Cyclops P Ltd) on duty. The Faculty members like Tapan Bihari, Warden of Periyar Hostel, were actively involved in facilitating the mob violence. There is no explanation how so many sticks, hammers etc were available on campus or how were they brought into the campus unless there was support of the security guards and some members of the faculty.”
The report then goes on to trace how right-wing elements have been allegedly allowed to ‘infiltrate’ the campus as well as higher echelons of university administration. It also traces the genesis of the fee-hike issue and narrates the latest chapter in the sordid saga saying, “The registration process for the new semester in Jan 2020 was another desperate attempt to bring in the fee hike through the backdoor. Upfront payment of the fee was mandatory for registration and the students wrote to the VC to allow registration at the old rate but there was no response. The process of registration was bulldozed without any examinations for the earlier semester.”
The Congress fact-finding team makes the following recommendations:
1. The Vice Chancellor, M Jagadesh Kumar should be dismissed immediately and an independent inquiry should be set up to look at all appointments made from 27/01/2016 (date of appointment) till date and all other financial and administrative decisions taken during his tenure should also be investigated.
2. A Criminal investigation must be initiated against the Vice Chancellor, the company that provides security service and members of the faculty who conspired with the attackers to unleash the violence on 05/01/2020 at Sabarmati hostel, Periyar hostel and other places. The security company’s contract must be immediately terminated.
3. An independent judicial enquiry must be conducted into the events of 05/01/2020 that led to violence on the campus of Jawaharlal Nehru University.
4. Fix accountability of the Commissioner of Delhi Police and other police officials because of police failure to act on the emergency calls by the students and faculty members on 05/01/2020 and in light of the overwhelming prima facie evidence that they facilitated the criminal elements on campus.
5. Immediate Rollback of the fee hike as implemented by the University authorities and recognition of JNUSU as an elected body so that proper consultation can take place between the administration and the students on the fee and other issues.
The entire report may be read here.
