JNU urges Delhi HC for taking contempt action against students, police for violating court order: NFIW alleges atrocities by Police on protesting students

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has approached the Delhi High Court seeking contempt action against its students and the Delhi Police for allegedly violating a court order against holding a protest within 100 metres of the varsity’s administrative block. The JNU claimed that the students had grossly violated the August 9, 2017, order of the high court by holding a protest within 100 metres of the administrative block and affecting its day-to-day working disrupting since October 28.It said the police also violated the court order by refusing and failing to take action to maintain law and order in the university and removing the blockade around the administrative block. The petition, filed through the central government’s standing counsel Monika Arora sought direction to issue contempt notice against the alleged contemnors (students and police) and punish them in accordance with the Contempt of Courts Act for alleged wilful disobedience of the court order. t also sought direction to Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik to provide assistance to the JNU in controlling the ongoing and any future contemptuous acts of the students and their leaders and removing them from within 100 metres of the administrative block. Continuing protests by JNU students against a hostel fee hike have rocked the national capital. On Monday, several parts of the city came to a halt as the students marched towards Parliament. The students clashed with police as they were stopped during the march. While the students alleged that they were baton-charged by police, top officials of the force denied it.On Tuesday, the Delhi Police registered two FIRs in connection with the students’ protest. Meanwhile, National Federation of Indian Women has strongly condemned “the brutal crackdown on a peaceful march led by JNU students” on 18th of November. In a statement it said  “The Delhi police have betrayed its cowardly character in resorting to such brute violence with unarmed students. We are shocked to hear that Delhi police specifically targeted the women and the PH/VH students. We ask what threat did the unarmed students of JNU who were demanding their democratic right to accessible education pose that they had to be suppressed in such a deplorable manner.NFIW holds the administration of JNU responsible for this brutality as we know that the students of JNU have been striking for weeks, standing firm on their demands and instead of engaging with them, the Vice chancellor has been absconding from his office and avoiding any dialogue. It is deplorable that instead of having the courage to face the students of the University that he heads, Vice Chancellor Mamidala Jagdish Kumar has been issuing threatening notices and releasing warning videos”, NFIW says.(pic courtesy to UNI)