Delhi police mull CCTVs to secure JNU campus

In a new development, the Delhi police is considering a proposal to install CCTV cameras in the JNU campus to keep a section of students, “who raise anti-national slogans” and participate in protests, under surveillance, according to sources.

“The decision to install CCTVs inside the campus is aimed at identifying students who often raise anti-national slogans and stage protests. It will also help us in preventing clashes among students belonging to different ideologies — the Left, the far-Left and the right-wing ABVP,” said a senior police officer.

In October, some officers of the Delhi police had met Prof. S.K. Sopory, the then vice-chancellor of the JNU. The proposal on CCTV surveillance was among the topics discussed, suggests a copy of the police report.

The police report said the officers of the special branch had visited JNU and met the then vice-chancellor on October 6. The special branch is the intelligence wing of Delhi police that reports to the Centre.

“It was also discussed that some student groups often raised slogans and participated in protests inside the campus. Many such slogans have an anti-national colour,” the report said.

Ayesha Kidwai, a JNU professor, expressed shock when told about the police proposal. “It is draconian, and both teaching and student community of the university will strongly oppose it. The surveillance on teachers and students violated the rights to privacy and is an attack on liberty,” she said. Prof. Kidwai was at the forefront of the protest against the University Grants Commission’s stringent security guidelines, including setting up a police station on the campuses for patrolling, floated in September last year.

She said the JNU had an internal security system and a few CCTV cameras had already been installed inside the V-C’s office for administrative purposes. “We don’t need CCTV surveillance inside the campus. It is an assault on freedom and it would make students feel more insecure than safe.” Another JNU professor said the campus was now under siege and the Central government wanted to make it a police station. “The motive is to scare students and teachers. They want to have the legitimacy to come and pick up anybody. Have we all become anti-nationals ” he asked, adding that a protest would be launched.

The police has also asked the current JNU vice-chancellor M. Jagadesh Kumar to keep them informed of movements of Kanhaiya Kumar, the student leader arrested on the charge of sedition and freed on bail, outside the campus so that it can provide him protection.