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For the past month, students of Jawaharlal Nehru University have been protesting against corruption in the administration and the deeply casteist remarks made by the Vice Chancellor, Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit, including her statement that "Dalits and Blacks are drugged with victimhood."
These remarks have sparked widespread anger across the campus and raised serious concerns about the conduct and accountability of the university's highest office. With the cooperation of all School Faculty Committees (SFCs), councillors, student organisations and the wider student community, the JNUSU led a sustained protest movement. What began as a strike gradually intensified into lockdowns across several schools of the university. Students collectively participated in these democratic actions through decisions taken at various School General Body Meetings (GBMs). During this period, the administration responded with repression. FIRs were filed against several students, including multiple FIRs against Office Bearers (OBs) of the Union, simply for implementing the democratic decisions taken by the student body in GBMs. The situation escalated when students marched to the Ministry of Education (MoE) to demand implementation of UGC regulations, adequate funding for the university, and the resignation of the Vice Chancellor for her casteist remarks. The police detained more than 50 students and arrested 14 of them. The JNU-14 were sent to Tihar Jail, where they spent three days in custody. Throughout this ordeal, the Vice Chancellor failed to issue even a single statement condemning the police action against her own students. Her silence, combined with the heavy-handed police response, made the nexus between the administration and the police increasingly evident. This repression has only demonstrated that the strike and lockdown had indeed put pressure on the administration. In order to democratically ascertain the opinion of the student community, the JNUSU conducted a referendum on 10th March across all schools of the university, asking students whether the Vice Chancellor should continue in office in light of her casteist remarks and the ongoing administrative corruption. The response from the student community was overwhelming. A total of 2409 students cast their votes in the referendum. 2181 students (90.54%) voted against the continuation of the Vice Chancellor in JNU. 207 students (8.59%) voted in favour of her continuation. 21 votes (0.87%) were declared invalid. The referendum clearly reflects the overwhelming sentiment of the student body. The students of JNU have delivered a decisive democratic mandate demanding accountability and the resignation of the Vice Chancellor. We also announce that the Public Hearing of the Vice Chancellor of JNU is scheduled next week in JNU, where we are going to invite retired judges, lawyers, academicians and activists. We will publish the chargesheet of her corruption, nepotism, casteism, violation of reservation, and undemocratic functioning of JNU. JNUSU reiterates its demand for the immediate resignation of the Casteist Vice Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit, calls upon the Ministry of Education to take cognisance of the democratic voice of the students. (ANI)
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