Following uncertainty over shutting down Jawaharlal Nehru University’s (JNU) iconic Ganga Dhaba, the varsity on Friday clarified that the dhaba was not being closed by the administration.
Following uncertainty over shutting down Jawaharlal Nehru University’s (JNU) iconic Ganga Dhaba, the varsity on Friday clarified that the dhaba was not being closed by the administration.
Students held a protest at the dhaba Friday morning, alleging that the administration is planning to close down the eatery. However, the university administration said that there is no such move.
“Ganga Dhaba is not being closed by the administration. It is considered as JNU heritage. Since the present occupant is illegally occupying the premises, he has been asked to vacate the place so that tendering procedure may be initiated at the earliest to run the dhaba,” an official statement said.
The owner of the dhaba, Bharat Tomar, was served an eviction notice on August 9, saying that he was illegally occupying the space and didn’t have the authority to run the eatery. “You are hereby directed to vacate the premises before August 18 and hand over the possession of Ganga Dhaba to the estate branch of the university,” the notice sent by the university’s estate officer said.
According to JNU registrar Pramod Kumar, Bharat had not paid rent for three years, ignoring repeated reminders. “His father used to run the dhaba and then his mother ran it after his father’s death. Now he is running it. It is not a personal property that is to be transferred within the family,” the registrar said.
JNUSU general secretary Rama Naga in a statement said that Mr Tomar should be allowed to continue running the eatery in the campus. “He has been serving the campus for a very long time. If there is not a single complaint against his food or behaviour, then why change him What is the problem if the dhaba remains open for anyone to have something at night ” he said.
