New Delhi: A day after their march to Parliament was stopped by police amid violent scenes, the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union on Tuesday said the students are ready to undertake a march to parliament "10 times" if their demands are not met.
The students, who are demanding the resignation of JNU Vice-Chancellor Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar, have alleged that Delhi Police is "trying to break the backbone" of the protests by taking union members into detention.
On Monday, hundreds of JNU students staged a march to Parliament, on the opening day of the winter session, to protest against a hike in hostel and mess fees. However, the police stopped the protesters mid-way, leading to a scuffle between the two sides, which led to the students staging a sit-in, that in turn led to massive traffic snarls across central Delhi.
JNUSU President Aishe Ghosh said: "Police had detained at least a hundred students including me, and Satish (General Secretary of JNUSU), just to make sure the high powered meeting with the secretary (MHRD) does not take place."
Delhi Police has registered two FIRs against JNU students. Both the FIRs have been registered in two different police stations – Kishangarh and Lodhi Colony- and against unidentified individuals.
Almost same charges have been slapped in both the FIRs which include violation of Section 144 (prohibitory orders disallowing assembly of more than four persons) apart from obstructing a public servant in discharge of his duty and assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from the discharge of his duty under the IPC.
"We have made it clear in the meeting, that the agitation will stop only after all our demands are accepted, and if the V-C has a problem with that then we demand his resignation," Ghosh added.
The protesting students demanded the restoration of the reservation for SC/STs in hostel accommodation and they have rejected the proposal for a 10 per cent hike in hostel rates every year. They have also demanded rollback of a proposal to include the salary of contractual workers in the mess bill.
The students have conveyed their demands to the Ministry of Human Resource Development.
"The protesting students should not face any enquiry," is another of their demands.
Students also clashed with the police outside Safdarjung Tomb near Jor Bagh. The students alleged that they were lathi-charged by the police.
Many students and police personnel were injured in the clashes.
(With inputs from IANS)
