Kanhaiya Kumar denounces TISS disciplinary action against student protesters

Fahad Ahmad, former general secretary of the students' council at TISS, who spearheaded the protest, was denied PhD registration

Kanhaiya Kumar, firebrand student leader from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), has denounced the disciplinary actions taken by Mumbai's Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) against protesting students, calling it a violation of the right to education. In an exclusive chat with mid-day, he said he will meet his TISS counterparts today.

Fahad Ahmad, former general secretary of the students' council at TISS, who spearheaded the protest, was denied PhD registration. Many other students' Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) scholarship was stopped pending approval by the institute administration.

'Inhuman'
"In principal, if any student fighting for the basic fundamental right of getting education, and they are harassed by the management of any institute, it is a violation of the right to education," said Kanhaiya, who was in the city for a state council meeting of the All India Students' Federation (AISF).

Speaking about Fahad's stalled PhD registration, Kanhaiya said, "It is inhuman and constitutionally illegal if any student's degree is held or registration is stopped. This should not happen."

Meeting today
"I have already taken an overview of the conditions at TISS from our student representative, who was one of those whose degree was withheld by the institution. I am meeting a few students in the morning on Wednesday. We will plan the further course of action, if any," he concluded.

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