Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru University Students who had marched towards Parliament against the issue of hostel fee hike, demanding complete fee roll-back along with other demands were stopped from continuing their protest by Police this afternoon. "The protest by JNU students has been stopped by Delhi Police about a kilometre away from Parliament's north gate," former JNUSU president N. Sai Balaji said. Agitated students had taken to streets, marching from the university campus towards the Parliament where the winter session is underway. As per the report, the students of the university want the MPs to take up the issue of the university administration increasing the hostel fees of the university. Police personnel have been deployed at all entry points leading to Parliament, a senior police official said.

Section 144 imposed, security beefed up

In the wake of a protest march, over 700 police personnel have been deployed outside the university campus to prevent the students from conducting the march. Section 144 has been imposed outside the JNU campus and police tried to stop the students half a kilometer from the campus. Students, however, have broken the barricade at the main gate of the varsity and are now heading towards Ber Sarai where more barricades are in place.

Police officials said adequate security arrangements have also been made along the route of the march. Ten companies are deployed outside JNU, police said. One company comprises 70 to 80 personnel.

Watch | JNU students march towards Parliament over fee roll back



JNUTA's concern

The JNU Teachers' Association (JNUTA) expressed concern over the deployment of police outside the varsity. "The massive police deployment and barricading at the gates of the JNU campus, which on the face of it appears to be only for the purpose of preventing the students from taking out their planned march to Parliament," it said.

"Such measures or use of force to thwart the exercise of constitutionally guaranteed democratic rights and to impede the students from peacefully taking their voice beyond the campus would be extremely unfortunate and the JNUTA hopes that no such situation will eventually arise," the association said.

HRD Ministry appoints panel

Meanwhile, the HRD Ministry on Monday appointed a three-member committee to recommend ways to restore normal functioning of the Jawaharlal Nehru University, officials said. The Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry's committee on JNU will initiate dialogues with students and administration as well as submit recommendations on resolution of all issues, they said.

The varsity's students have been protesting for nearly three weeks against the draft hostel manual, which has provisions for hostel fee hike, dress code and curfew timings.

The students' protest against the increase in hostel fee is going on for the past three weeks, even as the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) administration on Wednesday announced a partial rollback of the hike. The union had termed the decision an "eyewash".

(With agency inputs)

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