Delhi: JNU students baton-charged by police during march to Rashtrapati Bhawan

Delhi Police on Monday resorted to lathicharge after a clash with protesting Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students, who were marching towards Rashtrapati Bhawan on Monday.

The students were marching from JNU campus to Rashtrapati Bhawan seeking to meet President over fee hike issue.

During the long march, the protesters were seen holding placards which read -- "Shiksha hai sabka adhikar, band karo iska vyapar."

On December 5, Union HRD Minister, Ramesh Pokhriyal had stated in a written reply in Rajya Sabha that Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has increased hostel room rents after about 40 years to meet the increased expenditure on maintenance of hostels.

In a written reply over JNU fee hike, the HRD minister had replied: "JNU has informed that in order to meet the increased expenditure on the maintenance of hostels and to run them on no profit no loss basis, it has increased room rents after about 40 years."

Students of JNU had carried out a protest march with torches inside the varsity campus late on Tuesday and demanded the complete rollback of hostel manual and fee hike.

A four-member committee of Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) met a delegation of Ministry of Human Resource Development on November 29, following which, the union president had said that the strike will not be called off until their demands are met.

Several cases have also been registered against students over vandalism, etc, since they started their strike over five weeks ago against hostel fee hike.

The students are on protest after JNU administration gave its nod to the new hostel manual, including fee hike.

( With inputs from ANI )