Teachers join JNU hunger strike, ABVP student leader rushed to hospital

New Delhi: Scores of JNU teachers observed a one-day hunger strike on Tuesday in solidarity with the ongoing strike by students in protest against the punishments given by varsity in connection with the controversial February 9 event.

Meanwhile, members of ABVP claimed that fasting Saurabh Kumar Sharma who was complainant of the Afzal Guru event, was rushed to AIIMS and admitted to the ICU after his glucose level dipped. BJP MP's Tarun Vijay and Manoj Tiwari visited him in the hospital and advised him to break the fast keeping in view the health conditions.

On the 6th day of the strike, the protesting teachers also condemned the ban on sales and distribution of a book by DU authored by noted historian Bipan Chandra as it referred to Bhagat Singh as a revolutionary terrorist.

"70 teachers and 180 students today sat on relay hunger strike in support of the on going hunger strike against the decision of high-level committee of JNU. 20 Prisoners in Ara Jail have also started a two-day hunger strike in jail premises demanding revocation of punishment of JNU students," a statement by the JNU Students Union claimed.

"The struggle is on and will go on till all rustication, out of bond, fines and hostel debar orders are scrapped," it added.

Two groups of students are sitting on indefinite hunger strike since last Thursday in protest against the punishment announced by the university against various students in connection with the controversial event on campus during which anti-national slogans were allegedly raised.

JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, were arrested in a sedition case in connection with the event. They are out on bail now.

While Kanhaiya has been slapped with a penalty of Rs 10,000 on grounds of "indiscipline and misconduct", Umar, Anirban and Kashmiri student Mujeeb Gatoo have been rusticated for varying durations.

Financial penalty has been imposed on 14 students. Hostel facilities of two students have been withdrawn and the university has declared the campus out of bounds for two former students.

Financial penalty has been imposed on 14 students. Hostel facilities of two students have been withdrawn and the university has declared the campus out of bounds for two former students.

Saurabh Sharma has also been slapped with a fine of Rs 10,000 for blocking traffic. "Saurabh has been admitted to ICU in AIIMS. His glucose level has dipped but he is refusing to call of the fast. BJP MP's Tarun Vijay and Manoj Tiwari also visited him in the hospital and advised him to give priority to health," an ABVP statement said.

Meanwhile, the Left-affiliated student groups and teachers organised a public meeting in support of the Bipan Chandra book and condemned the banning of its sales by DU.

"It is being alleged that the book denigrates Bhagat Singh by use of the term revolutionary terrorist. There is no truth to this, Bipan Chandra having clarified that the term is not used in a pejorative sense. Chandra used the words revolutionary nationalist and revolutionary socialist in later writings," Bhagat Singh's nephew Jagmohan Singh said.

"In any case, Bhagat Singh used the word revolutionary terrorist to describe the work of his associates and himself. This had been pointed out, yet the sale of the Hindi edition of the book has been stopped and calls have been made to destroy it and criminal cases filed against the co-authors," he added.

Co-authors of the book Sucheta Mahajan, Mridula Mukherjee and Aditya Mukherjee were also present during the public meeting.