Murli Manohar Joshi seeks JNU VC's ouster

The students of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) received support from unlikely quarters today, with senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi demanding the removal of its Vice Chancellor for not coming up with a "reasonable and working" solution to the fee hike row.

"Reports are that the HRD ministry had twice advised the JNU, VC to implement certain reasonable and working formulae for resolving the issue of enhanced fees in JNU. He was also advised to reach out to its teachers and students. It is shocking that the VC is adamant in not implementing the government proposal. This attitude is deplorable and, in my opinion, such a VC should not be allowed to continue in this post," the former Union Minister tweeted.

Mr Joshi's remarks came minutes after an attempt by JNU students, faculty members and civil society groups to take out a massive protest march to the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi culminating in a stand-off with the police. Footage of the incident showed slogan-shouting students being pushed into buses by police personnel as they tried to go past them.