Nishank says 'distressed' over involvement of JNU students in violence

Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' on Friday said he was "distressed" over the involvement of JNU students in the January 5 violence as pointed out by the Delhi Police.

The ministry will not tolerate any violence and anarchy on the campus as it is committed to ensuring academic atmosphere in educational institutions, he said.

"Distressed over involvement of JNU students in violence as pointed out in Delhi Police's preliminary probe. This is unfortunate," Nishank said in a series of tweets.

"Those students who were stopped from registering themselves and others are appealed to register and participate in smooth conduct of academic activities," he added.

The Union minister also appealed to the students to maintain a "dignified" atmosphere in the university.

The Delhi Police on Friday named nine suspects involved in the violence and claimed JNU Students' Union president Aishe Ghosh was one of them.

Of the nine, seven belong to Left-leaning student organisations while two are affiliated to Right-wing students' body, the police said.

DCP (Crime Branch) Joy Tirkey, who is probing the violence case, said a majority of the students wanted to register for the winter semester from January 1 to 5, but the Left-leaning student bodies were not allowing them to do so.