Delhi police shuts all JNU gates to stop students' march

With barricadings set up and security forces deployed on every gate of the Jawaharlal Nehru University, the students' planned march to the President's house has been contained in the varsity.

The students are though trying to convince the security forces to let them go ahead with the march.

A march from JNU to President's house was called by the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) after their month long protest failed to bear fruits as the administration rejected their demand of complete rollback of proposed hike in hostel charges.

The JNUSU has though emailed a letter of their demands to the President.

In the letter, the students have demanded complete rollback of proposed fee hike, resignation of the Vice-Chancellor, withdrawal of police cases on the agitating students.

Earlier in the day, the Delhi police along with other security forces sealed all gates of the varsity which could have been used by students to march to the President's house to present their demands.

Heavy deployment of forces was seen outside the varsity gates as water cannons, forces with lathi and tear gases guarded the roads outside.

Meanwhile inside the campus, students scuffled with a section of teachers who the students alleged were supporting the university administration on the proposed fee hike issue.

A hostel draft manual, introduced by the varsity, has become a bone of contention between students and varsity administration since October 28 when the administration didn't allow the JNUSU to attend the IHA committee meeting that was to clear it.

The varsity administration argued the JNUSU had not been notified due to flouting of election rules. The draft hostel manual proposed to hike hostel charges from Rs 10 for double occupancy to Rs 300, and Rs 600 for single occupancy from the earlier Rs 20.

However, after student protests, the varsity administration announced a 50 per cent concession for the BPL category students, but it failed to pacify students. The issue is being handled by a MHRD's high-powered committee, which has given its recommendations to the varsity administration after several meetings with students and their representatives.