New Delhi:
The HRD
Ministry met officials from the JNU administration on Monday and took stock of
the situation on the campus following Sunday’s violence, even as
Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar skipped the meeting.
Meanwhile, Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank,’ who
was in Bhubhaneshwar, on Monday said educational institutions cannot be allowed
to become “political adda” and vowed “strong action”
against the perpetrators of the violence at JNU.
The meeting at the HRD Ministry which went on for over two hours
was attended by the JNU registrar, proctor and other admin officials who
briefed the ministry officials on the sequence of events that unfolded on the
campus and the measures taken to restore normalcy.
“HRD Secretary Amit Khare held a meeting with a team of
JNU authorities, including Pro-VC Chintamani Mahapatra, Registrar Promod Kumar,
Rector Rana Pratap Singh and Proctor Dhananjay Singh, today. The secretary held
a detailed discussion with them and was also briefed about the current
situation in JNU,” a senior HRD Ministry official said.
The ministry had on Sunday sought an immediate report from
JNU Registrar Pramod Kumar after the violence broke out and students and
teachers were attacked. There was
heavy deployment of police on Monday outside the Shashtri Bhawan here which
houses the HRD Ministry.
“A detailed report has been sent to the HRD Ministry
about the sequence of events. The top administration officials are at the
ministry to provide all details leading to present situation,” said JNU
Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar told.
Violence broke out at the Jawaharlal Nehru University on
Sunday night as a group of masked people armed with sticks attacked students
and teachers and damaged property on the campus, prompting the administration
to call in the police.
Many sustained injuries and were admitted to AIIMS Trauma
Centre here. They were discharged on Monday. JNU Students’ Union president
Aishe Ghosh suffered a head injury. The
Left-controlled JNUSU and the ABVP blamed each other for the violence that
continued for nearly two hours.
The Union HRD minister had urged JNU students to maintain the
dignity of the university and peace on campus. “I have said this earlier also that these
autonomous institutions cannot be allowed to become political ‘adda’ (dens).
Strong action will be initiated against people involved in such an
attack,” he told reporters in Bhubhaneshwar on Monday.
JNU Proctor Dhananjay Singh appealed the students to not
panic and leave the campus. “We
appeal to students to not panic and leave the campus. Measures are being taken
to normalise situation on the campus and ensure safety of everyone,” he
said after the meeting at the HRD Ministry. (PTI)
