Orders to JNUSU to vacate office an attempt to 'suppress' elected student body: CPI(M)

Accusing the Jawaharlal Nehru University of targeting students, the CPI(M) on Thursday said that asking the students' union to vacate their offices in the varsity premises was an attempt to "suppress" the newly-elected body.

The CPI(M) politburo alleged that under the present government all central educational institutions were subject to "regimentation" and academic freedom and democratic rights under "assault".

Dean of Students Professor Umesh Kadam had on Tuesday sent a notice to the JNU students' union asking them to vacate their offices.

The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) on Wednesday said it will not vacate its office.

"This is the latest and flagrant attempt to suppress the elected student body. The university authorities had refused to notify the Union for the previous year 2018-19 too. This is being done despite the judicial scrutiny which legitimised the election to the JNU Students Union this year, where students have participated in very large numbers," the CPI(M) politburo said.

"All this is part of efforts to stop all democratic activity on the campus. Students and teachers are being targeted for standing up for their rights," it added.

The party demanded that the order to vacate the students' union office be withdrawn.

The university should notify the new students' union and not hinder its functioning, it said in a statement.