Afzal Guru row: General secretary Rama Naga alleges JNU denied fellowship

JNUSU general secretary Rama Naga on Saturday alleged that the university has denied him fellowship citing his suspension due to the Afzal Guru controversy, a day after another JNU scholar Shweta Raj levelled the same allegations against the university administration.

However, the university officials said they would be able look into the matter on Monday as the administration is closed over the weekend.

Rama claimed that the university has denied his fellowship saying he is still under suspension even after the university had revoked the suspension on March 11, after a high-level committee probing the issue submitted its report.

Both Rama and Shweta are among the students who were placed under suspension by the university pending an enquiry in connection with the Afzal Guru event in campus during which anti-national slogans were allegedly raised.

“How could we attend classes if we were still under suspension. The administration told me that they can’t disburse my fellowship because they do not have information about my suspension being revoked,” Rama said.

“Now there is a notice by the hostel warden that we will not be given food if the bill is not paid,” he added.

JNU registrar Pramod Kumar said he wasn’t aware of the issue of fellowships raised by the students. “I will look into why their fellowships have been denied or whether they have been denied on Monday as the office is closed over weekend. As far as the hostel notice is concerned, it is not for these students in particular but for everyone to clear their dues,” he said.

Both the students have claimed that the fellowship amount in question pertains to July 2015-January 2016 period and, hence, the university should have no grounds to deny that in connection with the February 9 event which happened much later.

The university is yet to decide on the punishment to students in connection with the incident after the probe panel had submitted its report over the controversial incident.

Three students — Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya — were arrested in a sedition case over the event. They are now out on bail.