New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru University has joined Delhi University and IIT Roorkee in issuing strong advisories, warning students to stay away from the Cockroach Janta Party’s NEET protests at the capital’s Jantar Mantar. They’re pointing to safety, court orders, and the threat of legal trouble as reasons to keep students off the streets.
In an X post on Friday, JNU asked its students and faculty to refrain from participating in the protests or risk action.
“Please exercise responsibility on social media. Violations may invite legal consequences under applicable laws as well as disciplinary action under the University’s code of conduct,” the post read.
They urged the community to be careful on social media too, reminding everyone to balance “academic responsibility and responsible citizenship.”
These advisories landed just after the ‘Sansad Chalo’ march on 20 July, when the Delhi Police cracked down on protesters trying to reach Parliament. The result: clashes, detentions, and heated debate over how police handled things.
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‘A political movement’
DU, in a statement on Thursday, told students and teachers to steer clear of “unlawful assemblies or demonstrations” at Jantar Mantar. They pointed to Supreme Court rulings on public protest and warned that joining in could bring legal action and even pose serious risks to students’ personal safety and impact their academic progress.
IIT Roorkee put out its warning earlier on 20 July, calling the protest a “political movement.” After people called it out as overreach, the institute tried to clarify its stance. Responding to the controversy, IIT Roorkee said the communication had been misunderstood. The institute, in a statement, said it was an internal advisory circulated among students, faculty, and staff at the commencement of every academic session and formed part of long-standing institutional conduct rules.
The Association of Indian Universities (AIU) has come out in support of the measures. In a letter, dated 21 July, to vice-chancellors, AIU advised colleges and universities to guide students to stay focused on studies and keep campuses quiet.
(Edited by Aamaan Alam Khan)