JNU Students Union President Aishe Ghosh on Wednesday said that the Vice-Chancellor (VC) M Jagadeesh Kumar is not ready to engage in democratic dialogue with the students.
"We had come peacefully outside the Executive Council (EC) meeting venue to register our protest. The meeting did not take place. The VC is not ready for any democratic dialogue. The HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank also assured us that the VC will engage in dialogue with the students but there has been no response from the VC," Ghosh told reporters.
"We are fighting for our right to study. It is not just about an increase in fees. But we have the right to ask how there has been an astronomical rise in the fees and why is the VC not engaging in dialogue with the students?" she added.
"The VC never meets students or teachers. He always sends representatives only. The VC has dissolved the entire dialogue system. If the students are pushed to the wall then we can't say what will happen in the future. The protest will keep on going until and unless a decision is taken on the fees. There are a very few universities left in which poor students can study," DK Lobiyal, President of Teachers' Association JNU said.
"The protests are being held by the students. We have come for an executive council meeting but the VC is not present. The government of India had put up a draft policy for New Education Policy and asked for reviews on it. But the policy started being implemented without any consultation. FEDCUTA (Federation of Central University Teachers Association) has called for a protest on November 14 against this," Professor Sachidanand Sinha said.
JNU students have been protesting against the fee increase and new hostel manual which also includes provisions on dress code and curfew timings.
The matter blew out of proportion last week after a clash broke out between the students and police during the students' protest.
( With inputs from ANI )