JNU teachers join students, go on relay hunger strike

Mangalore Today/ PTI

New Delhi, May 08: The JNU Teachers’ Association (JNUTA) has decided to go on a relay hunger strike from Saturday.

The teachers joined the students already on a relay hunger strike after the JNU administration released a letter asking teachers and students to not invite outsiders on the campus. The university alumni were also invited to be a part of it but not many turned up.

 

“JNUTA met the vice chancellor on Friday and was hopeful of getting over this impasse. However, to our utter shock and immense pain JNU administration chose to threaten JNUTA on the basis of hearsay. JNUTA so far has not invited any individual or institution to join the hunger strike. However, it would like to reassert its privilege to call any institution or individual that it finds fit to speak or perform in JNU as it is well within its democratic rights,” JNUTA said in a statement.

The tussle between students, teachers and the administration at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) entered its tenth day on Saturday.

Fourteen students are still on strike but JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar ended his fast on Friday after his health deteriorated.

The students are on a hunger strike since April 29 to protest the punishments given to some students in the wake of February 9 event. Anti-national slogans were allegedly raised at the event.

As recommended by the high-level inquiry committee (HLEC), the university punished 17 students with penalties ranging from rustication to fines and leaving the hostel. The students have refused to accept the punishment.

Students said they will not call off the strike till the punishments are revoked.

“The authorities are adamant. They are not bothered about the health of any student. But we are more rigid, we will continue to fast until our demands are met,” said Pankhuri, one of the students on strike.