Shiv Sena's Saamana supports JNU protest, claims 'right-wing' BJP politicising issue

Lashing out at BJP government at Centre, Shiv Sena's mouthpiece 'Saamana' on Thursday, condemned alleged lathi charge of JNU students during ir protests on Monday, stating that such protests in front of parliament are routine. article titled 'Suppression in streets of Delhi', Saamana compares JNU students' protest against hostel fee hike to famous Lokpal protest spearheaded by Anna Hazare against UPA administration's corruption. It furr questions what were demands of students and what has government done to fulfill it.

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Saamana supports JNU protest

Supporting protesting students' fight for a complete rollback of fee hike, Shiv Sena mouthpiece asks how could Delhi police suppress protests of middle-class and poor students' rights to affordable education. Slamming BJP for politicising situation, it furr states that Centre was taking this opportunity to stifle students as ir student wing ABVP could t take control of JNU. Saamana also stated that JNU had been termed as 'naxalvaadi' by 'right-wingers', adding that JNU had produced bel laureate Abhijit Banerjee, but good 'right-wing' politicians. Sena is latest to join in supporting students after Congress, BSP, CPI (M). 

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Monday's protest

Earlier on Monday, hundreds of JNU students took to streets to march to Parliament, demanding a full rollback of hostel fees. Flouting section 144 applied in JNU, students marched towards parliament where Winter Session had commenced. Over 1400 Police personnel who were deployed stopped agitating students and around 100 students had been detained for showing ‘'aggressive defiance”. In evening, police forcibly removed JNU student protesters, who had brought civic life and traffic to a standstill. Meanwhile, Ministry of Human Resource Development set up a high-power committee to resolve issues of JNU students via dialogue. Sources report JNU administration has agreed to some of demands of students, as protests still continue in two separate phases - ABVP and Left-wing students.

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FIR filed

Delhi Police has lodged an FIR for 'defacement of public property' at Jawaharlal Nehru University, naming 10 students who had defaced campus and desecrated soon-to-be-unveiled statue of Swami Vivekananda. Delhi police have also filed 2 FIRs against students who y claim clashed with cops and created ruckus near Safdargunj Tomb area and Jor Bagh area in Delhi. JNU administration has anunced a partial rollback hostel fees -   a 50% concession in hostel fee rates for students belonging to Below Poverty line (BPL) urging students to go back to classes, as students continue to protest.

READ |Delhi Police files 2 FIRs against JNU students who clashed with cops during protest march

Why are students protesting?

students' union has been on a strike against Draft Hostel Manual which was approved by Inter-Hall Administration. y claim that manual has provisions for fee hike, curfew timings and dress code restrictions for students. y have said y will t end strike till Hostel Manual is withdrawn. It is said that after fee hike is implemented, JNU will be most expensive Central University.