HC stays discipliry action against JNU students, asks them to end strike

New Delhi, May 13: The Delhi High Court on Friday stayed all discipliry action, including rustication orders, against JNU Students Union president Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid, Anirban Bhattacharya and others, on the condition that they withdraw all current agitation. Justice Manmohan gave a conditiol stay on discipliry action against all JNU students if they end all agitation. “If you have confidence in us, you will withdraw everything (agitation),” he said. The court made it clear that the “protection granted by it was conditiol”, saying “they shall immediately withdraw the current agitation and not indulge in any strike or dhar”. “At the outset, the petitioners assured that JNU Student Union would not indulge in any strike or agitation or dhar. The petitioners also assured discipline in campus would be maintained,” said the judge after students assured the court. The court’s order came on the batch of petitions moved by Kanhaiya Kumar and others challenging the varsity’s discipliry action against them and the fines imposed on them for their alleged role in a controversial event on Kashmir organised on the university campus on February 9. Kanhaiya was fined Rs.10,000, while Khalid and Bhattacharya were rusticated and Rs.20,000 fine imposed on the former. The university took the action on April 25 after a high level inquiry committee set up by the varsity administration found them guilty of “misconduct” and “indiscipline”.  (IANS)