New Delhi:
A group of graduating students of the National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR), Hyderabad, have demanded that the university administration reconsider its reported proposal to invite Chief Justice of India Surya Kant as the chief guest for the upcoming convocation.
In a representation addressed to the Vice-Chancellor, Registrar and professors, the students said the convocation should reflect the university’s commitment to “constitutional rights, access to justice, and reasoned engagement with grievances.”
The students’ objection centres on the Supreme Court’s reported refusal to urgently list a plea concerning the police action against protesters during the “Chalo Sansad” demonstration at Jantar Mantar on July 20.
The protest was organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), with participants raising issues including the conduct of the NEET examination and the functioning of the National Testing Agency.
In their representation, the students referred to reports that said when the matter was mentioned for urgent hearing on July 22, the CJI told counsel, “Don’t waste our time, and don’t waste your time”.
When counsel offered to show video evidence of alleged police excesses, the CJI responded, “We are not interested in videos. We don’t have time to watch,” it added.
The representation also claims that counsel was cut short while explaining the issues behind the protest, with the reported remark, “Thank you very much.”
The students noted that a separate petition in the form of a letter had already been addressed to the CJI, seeking the Supreme Court’s suo motu intervention into the alleged police action.
The petition cited injuries to more than 170 protesters, including women and children, and referred to safeguards laid down in DK Basu vs State of West Bengal.
“For us as a graduating batch,” the students said, receiving degrees from a dignitary whose recent public conduct, “as reported, appears dismissive of serious allegations of police brutality against protesting citizens, sits uncomfortably with what we have been taught to value during our time at NALSAR”.
They asked the university to “strongly reconsider” the choice and consult the graduating batch before any invitation is formally extended.
They also sought an opportunity to discuss the matter with the administration and requested a response, preferably by Monday.
