CPI's Binoy Viswan gives suspension of business notice in Rajya Sabha over JNU protest

Communist Party of India (CPI) Rajya Sabha MP Binoy Viswan on Tuesday gave a suspension of business notice in the Upper House under rule 267, over the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) issue.

The matter blew out of proportion last week at the university campus after a clash broke out between the students and police during a protest.

The university had hiked the rate of a student single room rent from Rs 10 to Rs 300 per month, for student double room from Rs 20 to Rs 600 per month and increased one-time refundable mess security deposit from Rs 5,500 to Rs 12,000.

The fee was, however, partially rolled back. Now, the room rent for single-seater rooms will be kept to Rs 600 per month, while it will be Rs 300 for those students who come from the below poverty line (BPL) category.

Similarly, the room rent for double seater rooms has been kept at Rs 300 per month for all, while it is Rs 150 for eligible BPL category students.

The BPL category students will also have to pay half of the service (mess and sanitation services etc) and utility (water and electricity) charges while the other students will have to pay it in full.

The refundable mess security has been left untouched at the existing Rs 5,500 mark instead of the proposed Rs 12,000, while the other charges too have been left untouched.