JNUSU claims varsity spent Rs 13 lakh to host spiritual gurus, announces two-day strike

The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) has called for a two-day strike to protest against the varsity for allegedly spending nearly Rs 13 lakh to host spiritual gurus Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and Sadhguru.

The students' body claimed that JNU's vice-chancellor had denied registration to a visually challenged student of the Centre for Japanese Studies, Munesh, who was failed due to lack of facilities as the varsity faced a paucity of funds.

However, the VC has spent nearly Rs 13 lakh to host babas like Sadhguru and Sri Sri, the JNUSU alleged in a statement.

It has called for a two-day strike on January 8 and 9 against "financial corruption" by the VC and his cronies.

"JNU VC spent nearly Rs 87,000 alone on flight tickets for Sri Sri for a programme hosted by the varsity administration. The administration spent Rs 2.3 lakh on Sri Sri's programme and Rs 1.19 lakh for hosting Sadhguru in JNU under the budget head "Annual Day Celebration"," the JNUSU claimed.

It added that JNU VC had administered an 80 per cent fund cut to library, has not completely disbursed the merit-cum-means scholarships to BA-MA students till date and increased spending on security by 89 per cent.

The JNUSU said it saw this "extravaganza" as part of a larger policy of the Modi government to destroy public education and universities through fund cuts, seats cuts, decimation of reservations and so on.