JNU student fined for cooking, eating biryani outside admin block

NEW DELHI: A Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student was fined Rs 6,000 for cooking and eating biryani near the stairs in front of the university's administrative building.

The incident allegedly took place on June 27. Amir Malik, a masters student at School of Language, Literature and Culture Studies, cooked biryani near the stairs.

"In the proctorial enquiry you have been found guilty of being involved in cooking food (biryani) near the stairs in front of the Administrative Building and eating it thereafter along with other students… This act is serious in nature, unbecoming of a student of JNU and calls for strict disciplinary action," said the university in an official notification issued by the Chief Proctor, Kaushal Kumar on November 8. 

Rs 6000 fine imposed on a student, he was involved in cooking Biryani near the stairs in front of Administrative building on 27th June, and eating it thereafter along with other students. This act is serious in nature: JNU pic.twitter.com/zujhc2Iscp — ANI (@ANI) November 10, 2017

Calling it a 'serious act', the university authority asked Malik to deposit the fine within 10 days of the issuing of the notice.

The university also warned him 'to be careful and not to get involved in such incidents in future'.

Responding to the incident, former JNUSU General Secretary Satarupa Chakraborty alleged ABVP saying, "I condemn in strongest term possible the way Saurabh Sharma of ABVP is concocting false stories and spearing lies justifying the recent punishment. He is spreading cheap propaganda with blatent lies that 'beef biriyani' was cooked at Ad Block with the sole intention of inciting people on communal lines before Gujarat polls where the BJP sees imminent defeat. This incident took place in late June this year, today, when the report of punishment occupied space in many major national dailies, ABVP suddenly remembers of 'Beef Biriyani'."

She said, "Instead of standing by the students who are falsely framed by the university administration, Saurabh Sharma , maintaining his track record is up to spread fabricated stories just like previously the ABVP tried to malign JNU through circulation of doctored videos."

Chakraborty further added, "I reiterate my questions here. Is a university proctor office there to monitor who is cooking and eating what? Since when seeking an appointment to meet VC or shouting slogan against VC has become a crime? Since when it came into practice that without establishing any charges of indiscipline, actions will be taken by the whims and fancies of the VC? Is this how the 'discretionary power' is supposed to be exercised where student union members would be kept out of any dialogue with the university authority?."

"Finally, I would like to warn Mr. Saurabh Sharma to stop spreading such blatent lies and refrain from inciting people on communal lines for cheap political gimmick. As far as food is concerned, I respect everyone's right to chose his/her own food. The people of this country doesn't need any permission from any hindutva forces to decide what to eat and what not to eat," she concluded.