The JNU administration on Wednesday ordered a “disciplinary” enquiry into the holding of an event on the campus against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, despite the cancellation of permission, saying any talk about country’s disintegration cannot be “national”.  The university’s action came in wake of protests by members of ABVP outside the VC office demanding the expulsion of the students who “misled” the university about nature of the event.

“The permission for the program was sought by giving incomplete information, so it is an act of indiscipline. A committee headed by the Chief Proctor will examine the footage of the event and speak to the witnesses. It is on basis of the report, the varsity will take appropriate action,” JNU Vice-Chancellor Jagdeesh Kumar said.

The varsity Registrar Bhupinder Zutshi said, “There was nowhere mentioned in the permission request that the event will be on Afzal Guru, they just said that they wanted to organise a cultural event. How can any talk about disintegration of nation be national?”

The varsity registrar said, “if once a ‘wrong’ thing has happened, it does not mean it has to happen again and again. We had denied the permission earlier too and those who were found “defying instructions” by the probe committee were penalised.”

JNU students’ union joint secretary Saurabh Kumar, who is the only ABVP member in the union, said, “How can an event on Afzal Guru, who attacked the temple of democracy, be held here? We are demanding expulsion of those who organised it”.

“This was an anti-national event. When we tried to stop them from holding a march, I was shown a gun. They raised anti-India slogans and for freedom of Kashmir,” he alleged.

“The VC has told us that an inquiry has been ordered and based on the report action will be taken. But we will approach the HRD ministry as well as the Home Ministry demanding that the students who contributed to this “anti-national” activity be expelled,” said Alok Singh, President of ABVP’s JNU unit.

“This is a set pattern where we get permission, but then ABVP comes right on the day of program and administration cancels it last moment. Even screening of movies on controversial issues are considered anti-national. This is replication of what happened in Hyderabad University, where ABVP’s actions forced Rohit to commit suicide,” said Anirban Bhattacharya, one of the organizers.

By Premji