The Jawaharlal Nehru University students' union has decided to go on an indefinite hunger strike starting Wednesday to protest the "unjust and retributive" action taken against its president Kanhaiya Kumar and others in the Afzal Guru controversy.

Protesting against the move, Kumar burnt the copy of the action taken report in JNU today and later addressed a press conference, calling the university's inquiry committee casteist.

"It is a casteist inquiry committee. We don't believe the committee nor the penalties imposed," Kanhaiya said.

He claimed that the committee didn't allow Umar and Anirban to put their perspective over the controversy.

The JNU administration fined Kumar and rusticated Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya on Monday for taking part in an event to commemorate the Parliament attack convict, two months after they were sent to jail for sedition.

While Kumar was fined Rs 10,000, Khalid was rusticated for a semester; Bhattacharya till July 15 and barred from the university from July 25 for five years. Bhattacharya was allowed to submit his Phd during the July 15-25 period. Khalid also must cough up Rs 20,000 in fine by May 13.

Mujeeb Gattoo, another student, was suspended for two semesters, an order from the university proctor said. Ten other students were also fined varying amounts, including one from the ABVP on charges of obstructing traffic in the campus.

Bhattacharya, Khalid and Gattoo were accused of taking part in a meeting on February 9 in the campus where "objectionable slogans" were raised, which the order said demanded "stringent punishment".

The university said the organisers showed defiance by holding the meeting against the wishes of the administration. "The committee has recommended rustication/fine for three students, withdrawal of hostel facilities/financial penalty for two students and only financial penalty for 14 students. Two former JNU students, moreover, have been declared out of bounds," a university statement said.

The statement said Khalid, Bhattacharya and Gattoo were found guilty of staging a protest under the pretext of holding a poetry reading of "A Country Without a Post Office", a collection of the late Agha Shahid Ali, a Kashmiri poet.

The action comes after a five-member panel probed the February 9 event that sparked off nationwide protests for and against Kumar and others as they were jailed after being arrested on sedition charges. He was also attacked when he was produced in a Delhi court.

Khalid said the university had declared its "allegiance to RSS" by punishing the students. "A farce is what this enquiry has been... made to witch hunt and punish students by hook or crook," he said on Facebook.

"Do we need to remind you, Jagdish Kumar, that unlike you, the students and teachers of this campus are not plaint stooges of the RSS?" he wrote, addressing the university vice chancellor. "The punishments are not acceptable. Get ready for a fight back."

On the other hand, the ABVP said the quantum of punishment was "a great disappointment" and accused the university of surrendering to "anti-India section of JNUTA as well as leftist student organisations".

Kumar is the first JNU Students Union president from the CPI-affiliated AISF. The JNU Teachers Association has largely stood by the students during the university crackdown.

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JNU rusticates Umar and Anirban for 'anti-national' activities, fines Kanhaiya Rs 10,000



Kanhaiya Kumar at India Today Conclave: Kashmir an integral part of India

