The calls for the removal of JNU Vice Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar are now not reasonable as the basic demand of students on hostel fee hike has been met, says Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank.
The minister also SAID in an interview that the situation in the university is turning back to normal and students who want to study should not be disturbed.This is in relation to the announcement made by the university last October regarding a hike in hostel fee, following which the students had taken to the streets demanding a roll back.
“The basic demand of students about the hostel fee hike has been met. The calls for JNU VC’s removal now are not reasonable, removing anybody is not the solution,” Pokhriyal said.
On the JNUSU’s decision to move court against amendments in the hostel manual, including the fee hike, and continue its boycott of the semester registration process, Pokhriyal said, “It is the university’s call on what to do next”.
“I have been told that over 80 per cent students have already registered for the winter semester and more people are registering,” he said, adding that “if our universities have to excel in the global competition, we need to rise above these issues.”
“The academic issue has been resolved, the situation is turning normal at the university, and as far as the violence case is concerned, police are investigating it” Pokhriyal said. He believes that students should start studying because there is no issue now and time should not be wasted. “JNU is a prestigious university, we want to ensure an atmosphere for students to excel”, he said.
Asserting that the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) is not aimed at taking away anybody’s citizenship, the minister appealed to students “to explain this to those misleading public on the issue and indulging in petty politics”.
