Kerala Congress' delegation visits JNU's Sabarmati hostel

A delegation of senior Congress leaders from Kerala including former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Monday visited the Jawaharlal Nehru University's Sabarmati hostel where masked goons, allegedly belonging to right-wing outfits, thrashed students and teachers on January 5.The delegation comprising of Leader of Opposition in Kerala Assembly Ramesh Chennithala, KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran and AICC general secretary Oommen Chandy held discussions with students, teachers and some of the officials of JNU administration.

Speaking to ANI, the Congress leaders said that they had come to the varsity to express their solidarity with the students.

"The attack on students at Sabarmati hostel was pre-planned. The entire administration was involved in it. The Vice-Chancellor has taken a partisan stand. He has not even shown the courtesy to meet the students, who were brutally attacked by goons," said Chennithala.

"We met the students and the teachers to express solidarity with them. We also met officials of the JNU administration," he added.

Chandy said the Congress delegation met the students because they are fighting for justice.

"The JNU VC did a very wrong thing. He is supposed to be the protector of the students but he supported the perpetrators of the crime. No case has so far been registered against the culprits. Police have not taken any action. We want strong action against culprits. The VC is a part of all this episode. His role was doubtful. We want an enquiry in the whole matter," he said.

JNU students as well as opposition parties have been protesting against the violence at the campus on January 5 and also sought the resignation of the VC.More than 30 students of the university, including JNUSU president Aishe Ghosh, were injured and taken to the AIIMS Trauma Centre after a masked mob entered the university and attacked students and professors with sticks and rods.

The JNU administration and politicians, cutting across party lines, condemned the attack on students and urged the police to take strict action against the perpetrators.