Updated June 18th, 2021 at 23:22 IST
Asked to explain pro-Tikait protest endangering JNU, Aishe Ghosh takes political line
JNU served a show-cause notice to its Students' President Aishe Ghosh for staging a demonstration in solidarity with the ongoing farmer agitation in December.
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In a key development, the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) administration on Friday issued a show-cause notice to its Students' Union President Aishe Ghosh for staging an on-campus demonstration in solidarity with the ongoing farmer agitation in December. As per the notice, during the protest, Ghosh was found 'violating COVID-19 rules implemented by the university and the Government of India'. Ghosh has been asked to reply to the notice by June 24.
"We will not stop. We will speak up": JNUSU President Aishe Ghosh
Sharing a picture of the show-cause notice, Aishe Ghosh informed, "The JNU Administration has sent us a notice for organizing a protest in solidarity with Samyukta Kisan Morcha against the farm laws." She called the notice an attempt by the JNU administration to curb dissent within the campus and went on to give a message to them, which she attached later in the tweet. It read," We will not stop. We will speak up."
The JNU Administration has sent us notice for organising protest in solidarity with #SamyuktaKisanMorcha against the farm laws.
— Aishe (ঐশী) (@aishe_ghosh) June 18, 2021
The JNU Admin trying hard to follow tactics to curb dissent within campus, can only be told "We will not stop". We will speak up. pic.twitter.com/dPU3U2jknn
It is pertinent to mention here that Aishe Ghosh has been quite vocal about her support to the protesting farmers. On a number of occasions, she has taken to the stage and urged the people to unite and oppose the 'anti-farmer' policies of the Government of India, which she alleges has been framed to 'benefit' corporate groups like Ambani and Adanis, a over-simplistic assessment not becoming of a students union president of any college, let alone JNU.
JNU students support farmers', hold protest
In the protest, which took place on December 5, 2020, Aishe Ghosh led the crowd. The theme of the protest was, "Against the Three Anti-Farmer Laws! With the call of Farmers' group". As per reports, the students that had gathered in front of the main entrance of JNU were asked to disperse, keeping in mind the COVID-protocols. However, instead of doing that, they all gathered and listened to the address of President Aishe Ghosh, and then even burnt a representative figure of the Modi government.
In spite of being pulled up by the administration, Aishe Ghosh reportedly did not stop and conducted a number of other protests in support of the farmers.
What are the farm laws?
The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 aims at freeing the farmers from the constraints of the state Agriculture Produce Market Committees whereby they would be able to sell their produce anywhere. Meanwhile, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 protects and empowers farmers to engage with processors, wholesalers, large retailers, exporters for farm services. This entails the provision of contract farming. The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 specifies that the supply of foodstuffs including cereals, pulses, potato, edible oilseeds, and oils shall be regulated only under exceptional circumstances.
(Credit-@aishe_ghosh/PTI/Twitter)
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Published June 18th, 2021 at 23:22 IST
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