JNU Administration Demands Rusticated Student Leaders Vacate Hostels Amidst Legal Battle

A fresh wave of tension is brewing within the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus, as the administration has taken a firm stand, ordering several former student union office-bearers – those rusticated in the wake of a 2018 protest – to vacate their hostel accommodation without delay. It's a move that certainly feels like a significant escalation in a long-standing disciplinary saga, one that has consistently pitted the university's governing body against its student representatives.

The notice, quite unambiguous in its directive, targets individuals like Saket Moon, who served as JNUSU President in 2019-20, and Satish Chandra Yadav, the then general secretary, alongside others who faced severe disciplinary action years ago. Their alleged offense? Disrupting an Academic Council meeting back in 2018. That particular protest, you might recall, revolved around a contentious compulsory attendance policy, a point of contention that really galvanized student activism at the time.

For those receiving these notices, the instructions are stark: clear out your hostel rooms pronto. Fail to comply, and the administration threatens not just forced eviction but also hefty financial penalties. It's a serious ultimatum, putting these students in a very tight spot, especially given the history.

From the students' perspective, this latest move by the administration feels, frankly, vindictive. Many see it as a deliberate act of harassment, a continuation of a pattern designed to suppress dissent and punish those who dared to speak out. "The matter is sub-judice!" they rightly argue, pointing out that their rustication and other penalties are currently under review in the courts. To issue an eviction notice while legal proceedings are still very much active strikes many as incredibly unfair, even a disregard for due process.

One might say this incident is merely the latest chapter in a broader narrative of strained relations between JNU's student body and its administration. There’s a long history of disciplinary actions, protests, and counter-protests. For the administration, it's about maintaining decorum, upholding rules, and ensuring the smooth functioning of academic life. For the students, it's often about defending their rights, democratic spaces, and freedom of expression within the university.

As things stand, the ball is firmly in the court of these former student leaders. Do they comply, even as their legal battles continue? Or do they resist, potentially inviting the threatened forced eviction and fines? Whatever their choice, this latest development ensures that the simmering tensions at JNU are once again brought to a boiling point, reminding everyone that the echoes of past conflicts continue to reverberate across the campus.