20 April,2011 07:26 AM IST | | Mohit Sharma and Vatsala Shrangi
Students claim she misappropriated funds meant for mess workers
Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students are known for their innovative campaigns against perceived injustices that may have been committed in any part of the world. This time the problem is closer to home - corruption on campus.u00a0Yamuna Hostel for girls in JNU is now under the scanner of the administration. Dwellers have alleged that the senior warden of the hostel, Najmul Arif has misappropriated funds meant for mess workers.
What a mess: Yamuna Hostel in JNU is now under scanner as its
residents have alleged that a senior warden of the hostel has
misappropriated funds meant for mess workers. File pic
Students had reported the matter to the university vice-chancellor, SK Sopory, who visited the hostel on Monday and has now set up an inquiry panel to look into the matter. "We are probing the case. Students are protesting, but the issue needs to be investigated," said Sopory.u00a0
Hostel residents are campaigning against the issue, holding meetings and have distributed pamphlets among students across the campus informing them of the matter. Yamuna Hostel walls are cloaked with anti-corruption posters and condemning statements pasted by students.
"The senior warden had been exploiting the workers and misusing their funds for her own interests. We had held a meeting in this regard on April 5 where she said that she would be paying their dues and maintain a copy of it, but even days after the meeting she didn't rectify anything. We won't allow such exploitation to go on before us," said the hostel president, who did not wish to be named.
Student leaders from All India Students' Association (AISA) claim that hostel workers including security guards have approached them a number of times, seeking help against the warden's exploitation.
"There were always complaints against her of threatening the workers of termination and not paying their wages. She is also trying to intimidate students of the hostel who are speaking against her wrongdoings. Why should we accept such things? Ours is a democratic institution," said another hostel resident on the condition of anonymity.
Another protest
A group of students from JNU and the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) protested outside the National Institute of Immunology (NII) on Monday. They were demanding an independent inquiry into the 'suspicious' death of a PhD student. Police are treating the case as suicide. Students claimed this was the third such incident in as many years.
