Police plan Big-Brother cameras for JNU

Imran Ahmed Siddiqui, TT, New Delhi, March 5: Delhi police are considering a proposal to install CCTV cameras on the JNU campus to keep under surveillance a section of students "who raise anti-national slogans" and participate in protests, sources told The Telegraph today.

"The decision to install CCTVs inside the campus is aimed at identifying students who often raise anti-national slogans and stage protests. It will also help us in preventing clashes among students belonging to different ideologies - the Left, the far-Left and the ABVP," said a senior police officer.

In October last year, some officers of Delhi police had met the then vice-chancellor of the JNU. The proposal on CCTV surveillance was among the topics discussed, suggests a copy of the police report.

The police report said officers of the special branch had visited JNU and met the then vice-chancellor on October 6. The special branch is the intelligence wing of Delhi police that report to the Centre.

"It was also discussed that some student groups often raise slogans and participate in protests inside the campus. Many such slogans have an anti-national colour," the report said.

Ayesha Kidwai, a JNU professor, expressed shock when told about the police proposal. "It is draconian, and both teaching and student community of the university will strongly oppose it. The surveillance on teachers and students violated the rights to privacy and is an attack on liberty," she said.

Kidwai was at the forefront of the protest against the University Grants Commission's stringent security guidelines, including setting up a police station on the campuses for patrol, that were floated in September last year.

She said the JNU had an internal security system and a few CCTV cameras had already been installed inside the VC's office for administrative purposes.

"We don't need CCTV surveillance inside the campus. It is an assault on freedom and it would make students feel more insecure than safe."

Another JNU professor said the campus was now under siege and the government wanted to make it a police station.

"The motive is to scare students and teachers. They want to have the legitimacy to come and pick up anybody. Have we all become anti-nationals" he asked, adding that a protest would be launched.

Kanhaiya security

The police have asked the JNU vice-chancellor to keep them informed of movements of Kanhaiya Kumar, the student leader arrested on the charge of sedition and freed on bail, outside the campus so that it can provide protection.

In a letter to the vice-chancellor, deputy commissioner (south) Prem Nath wrote that the station house officer of Vasant Kunj (north) police station, under whose jurisdiction the JNU falls, should be informed well in time of "the movements/visits of Kanhaiya outside the campus, including the nature of visit and the travel mode so that necessary security/preventive measures may be taken to prevent any untoward incident".

A police source said the move came in view of the Supreme Court's directive after the attack on Kanhaiya at the Patiala House Courts complex on February 17. The apex court had said the police must ensure that none of the students arrested in connection with the sedition case suffered even a scratch.

The latest letter suggests that a police team will move around with Kanhaiya every time he steps out of the campus.

"We hope this is not part of a bigger plan to keep Kanhaiya under surveillance and restrict his movements," said a professor.