The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union on Saturday maintained their offer to shelter victims of the Delhi violence despite a warning from the administration, PTI reported. On Friday, university registrar, Pramod Kumar, warned of disciplinary action against students involved in efforts to provide shelter to the victims of the violence.

“JNU was open for shelter in 1984, it shall remain open for shelter today. It shall always remain open for sheltering the victims of state oppression,” the students union tweeted. “The JNU administration has threatened us with disciplinary action if we provide shelter to those who have lost everything in the #DelhiGenocide2020. Nevertheless, we reiterate, JNU is a safe shelter for the victims of this pogrom. Humanity supercedes administrative threats.”

At least 42 people died in the communal violence that broke out in parts of North East Delhi last Sunday, and more than 200 people have been reported injured. People from several localities also left their homes.

JNU Vice Chancellor Jagadesh Kumar had backed students offering assistance to the victims, but was against allowing them to stay on the campus. “Some students in our campus gave an open call to outsiders to come and stay on the campus,” he said. “They are the same students who criticised saying that outsiders came into the campus and they were responsible for the incident that took place in January.”

On January 5, several students were attacked by a mob allegedly comprising Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad members. JNUSU President Aishe Ghosh and others were questioned and FIRs were filed against them for vandalising the property. This came while students were protesting against a hostel fee hike.

Kumar said the safety of those at the university was paramount. The notice from the university registrar had added that the administration had received calls from students who were feeling “very insecure” following the JNUSU’s offer of shelter to the violence victims, reported Hindustan Times.