Communist Party of India (Marxist) Rajya Sabha member John Brittas has written to President Droupadi Murmu, seeking urgent intervention over the indefinite hunger strike of Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union representatives and other students who are pressing for a charter of 13 demands. The student protest has raised issues that include revoking the rustication of student union office bearers, as well as reinstating the Gender Sensitisation Committee Against Sexual Harassment and the traditional JNU entrance examination.
In a letter dated October 18, Brittas criticized the university administration for its failure to address the longstanding concerns of the student body, noting that this deadlock has led to the ongoing protests and the deteriorating health of the participating individuals. As the visitor holding the highest statutory position in the university governance framework, the President was urged to step in, revoke the rustication orders, and swiftly resolve the grievances.
Brittas also addressed a separate communication regarding the same crisis to Union education minister Pralhad Joshi. Characterizing the hunger strike as an extreme form of peaceful demonstration, the parliamentarian argued that barring elected student representatives from campus severely undermines the functioning of the union and muzzles the collective articulation of student concerns.
The legislator further criticized the continued enforcement of the Chief Proctor Office Manual, pointing out that its stringent disciplinary measures and exorbitant fines for peaceful assembly and protest cast doubt on the space available for legitimate democratic expression. Drawing upon his own experiences as a student at the institution, Brittas recalled participating in the debates and democratic traditions that form the core of the campus environment, making him acutely aware of the need to protect student freedoms against arbitrary decisions.
Warning that disproportionate punitive actions discourage learners from raising valid issues out of fear of retribution, Brittas emphasized that the chilling atmosphere damages broader campus priorities such as gender justice, equal opportunity, fair admissions, and basic facilities. He reminded the leadership of the university's foundational commitments to social justice, secularism, and democratic norms, while urging the education minister to actively engage with campus administrators to safeguard student welfare and secure a prompt resolution.