Delhi: JNUSU carries out protest march against fee hike

Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) on Monday carried out a massive protest rally outside the campus against the fee hike in the new hostel manual which also includes provisions on dress code and curfew timings.

Hundreds of JNU students were seen carrying out a march from Freedom Square to AICTE Auditorium with banners against the 'massive fee hike'.

"We have been protesting for over 15 days but the Vice-Chancellor is not willing to talk to us. The fee has been hiked in the university. Around 40 per cent of the students here come from very poor families," one of the protesting students told ANI.

Another student said that the university is subsidised so that the poor can also study here. "How will a poor student be able to study here if the hostel fee is over 6 to 7 thousand," the student asked.

Meanwhile, the police were seen requesting students to keep their protest peaceful.

"You are resorting to violence. Please keep your protest peaceful," a police official was seen telling the protesters as a group of students dragged a police barricade.

The students were protesting even as Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu was attending a convocation ceremony at the university.

The JNUSU has been protesting for around two weeks against the new hostel manual.

JNU Vice-Chancellor Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar had on November 8 alleged that some students had kept Associate Dean Dr Vandana Mishra in illegal captivity as part of their protest.

According to JNUSU president Aishe Singh, the hostel fees have been increased and curfew and dress restrictions have been introduced in the university.