JNU VC doing good work, why act against him: HRD minister

DEHRADUN: The government on Monday came out in strong defence of Jawaharlal Nehru University vice chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar — who has been under fire for his alleged failure to reach out to students and restore normalcy on the campus — with Union HRD minister Ramesh Pokhriyal praising the VC’s “good work” in an exclusive interview with TOI.

“The VC is doing a good job and people criticise those who do good work.Why should action be taken against him? What for? Tell me?” Pokhriyal said.

The minister dismissed the allegation of the JNU Students’ Union that the VC had allowed the January 5 violence to take place, saying, “The violence in the university is between two student groups, one that wants to study and the other which doesn’t.” He also denied that a communication gap between the administration and the students was partly the reason for the continuing agitation. “HRD ministry did speak to the protesting students. Why then did they not end their agitation?” he asked.