विदेशेषु मान्यः स्वदेशेषु धन्यः
सदाचारवृत्तेषु मत्तो न चान्यः
मनश्चेन्न लग्नं गुरोरंघ्रिपद्मे
ततः किं ततः किं ततः किं ततः किम्
‘I am honored in other lands and I am prosperous in my homeland; in the paths of righteous conduct there is none who surpasses me; thus one may think; but if one’s mind be not centered upon the lotus feet of the Guru, what is the use, what is the use, what is the use?’ [- Guru Ashtakam]
There is brain drain and then we have brains in drains. Even though righteous conduct has never been the cup of tea for a major lot studying in JNU but what happened last night in the university has shamed the very essence of our country’s values.
Last night, JNU was again caught in its perpetual melodrama when a group of students led by JNUSU gheraoed the administration block demanding a meeting with the vice-chancellor opposing his decision to make 75 percent attendance compulsory at the varsity. The ruffian lot prevented rectors Chintamani Mahapatra and Rana Pratap Singh from leaving the building. The Chief Proctor Kaushal Kumar was gheraoed for two hours. This student goons did not stop here, and few professors were allegedly confined and abused by so-called students. Mahapatra was allowed only after an ambulance came to pick him up on accounts of ill-health.
It started at 11 AM on Thursday when a human chain of JNU students, who had to be stopped by the security guards from entering the administrative block, performed skits, mimes and sang songs through the day to mark their protest.
The real reason behind the felonious outburst remains straight as a ramrod. Members of the JNU student’s union central panel, JNUSU president, vice president, general secretary and joint secretary, were slapped fines of Rs. 10,000 each for “protesting” outside the administration block against the compulsory attendance move by the university.
The notice sent to the office-bearers on Tuesday said that the students’ month-long protest violated a Delhi High Court order banning agitations near the administrative block and the university’s rules and regulations. The notice also directed the four students to pay the fine within 10 days or face further action.
“We demand to meet the JNU VC. We have been waiting to meet him since morning. We have not blocked any gate, we are only waiting for him. We demand the circular over mandatory attendance be taken back and a meeting of academic council called,” Geeta, of the All India Students Association, said yesterday.
Chief Proctor Kaushal Kumar said, “We are just following UGC guidelines, not JNU guidelines. Students have all the right to protest as they feel it is injustice according to them. Ask anyone about compulsory attendance, they will say it is needed.”
Earlier in December 2017, Geeta Kumari and JNUSU were quoted calling compulsory attendance as a ‘tool of harassment’ and ‘grave threat to institutional sanctity’. This is because attendance harms your report card and protests driven by a leftist ideology bags golden stars.
With no significant addition to country’s progress, tax payers’ money which allows a yearly fee as low as INR 400/- for most of the courses seems to be going down the sink.
