JNU VC forms panel for appeal proceedings on Afzal Guru anniversary row

New Delhi, Aug. 22 (ANI): The Appellate Authority of Jawaharlal Nehru University, the Vice Chancellor, has constituted a committee comprising of four members to assist him in conducting appellate proceedings against students related to a February 9 event (on Afzal Guru's third death anniversary) on the university campus. The event organisers had pasted posters across the campus inviting students to gather for a protest march against "judicial killing" of Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhat and to express solidarity with Kashmiri migrants at the Sabarmati Dhaba on the campus. In the light of the recommendation of the HLEC and subsequently the recommendation of the committee constituted to assist the Appellate Authority, the Vice Chancellor put his mind to various dimensions of the concerned issue to come to a conclusion and has taken the final decision on the appeals made by the students, said a statement, adding that every student was called for deposition before the appeals committee. It further said every student was given a copy of the HLEC report and the enclosed evidences and was given an opportunity to make an appeal in writing. "The principle of natural justice was minutely followed. Each one of those who appealed were shown the entire documents and given time to go through it before they would depose. The appellate authority, after a thorough analysis of each case, has issued the final report to be implemented by the Chief Proctor," it added. The university officials said the act amounted to "indiscipline" as any talk about disintegration of nation cannot be "national". "It is an act of indiscipline, as permission for the programme was sought by providing incomplete information. A committee headed by the Chief Proctor will examine the footage of the event and speak to the witnesses. The varsity will take appropriate action based on the report," JNU Vice-Chancellor Jagadesh Kumar said. Earlier, the university had ordered the inquiry after members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) staged a protest outside the Vice-Chancellor's office, demanding expulsion of students who organised the event on Guru's third death anniversary, who was hanged at Tihar Jail on February 9, 2013. Members of the ABVP had on Tuesday objected to the event and wrote to the Vice-Chancellor, saying such marches should not be held at an educational institution, prompting the university administration to order cancellation of the march fearing it might "disrupt peace on the campus". However, the organisers went ahead with their plan and held a programme, which led to the ABVP members gathering outside the V-C's office and shouting slogans, demanding their expulsion. (ANI)