The striking students are calling for increased scholarships, a caste census, the lifting of a ban on campus protests, and the withdrawal of proctorial inquiries against participants in previous demonstrations.
Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi witnessed a full-scale strike on Thursday as students marked the 12th day of their hunger strike. The protest, led by the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU), saw many students boycotting classes to pressure the university administration over unresolved demands.
The striking students are calling for increased scholarships, a caste census, the lifting of a ban on campus protests, and the withdrawal of proctorial inquiries against participants in previous demonstrations.
While most students stayed away from their classes, a small number from the School of Sanskrit and Indic Studies (SSIS) attended. The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), an RSS-affiliated student organization, did not join the strike but has been conducting its protest on campus for the past 31 days on various student-related issues.
The JNUSU has announced that the strike will continue until Friday, August 23, after which they plan to lead a march to the Ministry of Education to seek intervention. Despite a meeting with Vice-Chancellor Santishree D Pandit, who urged them to end their hunger strike, the students have remained resolute. The protest has already taken a toll on participants, with some students requiring medical attention. Two individuals were referred to AIIMS by JNU’s health centre on Monday but chose to continue their protest despite deteriorating health.
