NE NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI, JAN 5
Violence has reportedly escalated within Jawaharlal Nehru University, with students, including the students’ union president, alleging that they were attacked by members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) in the presence of police. The HRD Ministry on Sunday sought an immediate report from JNU Registrar Pramod Kumar about the situation on the campus.
Reports of stone-pelting were reported from within campus on Saturday as well.
Students alleged that ABVP members were walking through the campus carrying sticks with masks or scarves on their faces, looking for students associated with the fee hike protest.
In a video, JNU students’ union president and Students’ Federation of India leader Aishe Ghosh can be seen bleeding from the head, saying that she was “brutally attacked by goons wearing masks”.
People on campus also said that cars parked outside houses were being broken.
Ghosh and other students who injured have been taken to the AIIMS trauma centre. One faculty member, Professor Sucharita Sen, was also reportedly injured in the violence, and others who were trying to protect students also beaten up.
As chaos prevailed on the campus, JNU registrar Pramod Kumar said in a statement, “This is an urgent message for the entire JNU community that there is a law and order situation on the campus…. The JNU Administration has called the police to maintain order.”
“This is the moment to remain calm and be on the alert…. Efforts are already being made to tackle the miscreants,” he added.
The violence occurred while a public meeting by the JNU Teachers’ Association was being held.
The students’ union alleged that its members, including Ghosh, were injured in stone-pelting by ABVP members. But the RSS-backed students’ organisation alleged that its members were brutally attacked by Left-affiliated student outfits and 25 of them were injured.
The JNUSU claimed that “ABVP members wearing masks were moving around on the campus with lathis, rods and hammers”.
“They are pelting bricks…getting into hostels and beating up students. Several teachers and students have also been beaten up,” the JNUSU claimed.
The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) alleged that Left student organisations SFI, AISA and DSF were behind the violence.
“Around 25 students have been seriously injured in the attack and there is no information about whereabouts of 11 students. Many ABVP members are being attacked in hostels and the hostels are being vandalised by the Leftist goons,” the ABVP said.
We strongly condemn the violence on JNU campus. This is a desperate attempt by forces of anarchy, who are determined to use students as cannon fodder, create unrest to shore up their shrinking political footprint. Universities should remain places of learning and education.
— BJP (@BJP4India) January 5, 2020
Home Minister Amit Shah speaks to Delhi Police Commissioner
The HRD ministry on Sunday sought an immediate report from JNU Registrar Pramod Kumar about the situation on the campus after masked men armed with sticks attacked students and teachers and damaged property there.
Union Home Minister has spoken to Delhi Police Commissioner over JNU violence and instructed him to take necessary action. Hon’ble minister has also ordered an enquiry to be carried out by a Joint CP level officer and asked for a report to be submitted as soon as possible.
— गृहमंत्री कार्यालय, HMO India (@HMOIndia) January 5, 2020
“We have sought an immediate report from the JNU registrar about the situation on the campus.We have spoken to the vice-chancellor and Delhi police officials to ensure that peace is maintained on the campus,” officials said.
Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Delhi police commissioner and enquired about the situation in JNU.
NDTV speaks to people gathered outside Delhi Police Headquarters to protest against the violence at #JNU#NDTVFromJNU #JNUViolence #JNUattack pic.twitter.com/PKZM8S5DRL
— NDTV (@ndtv) January 5, 2020
‘Fascists’ are afraid of students’ voices: Rahul Gandhi
https://twitter.com/RahulGandhi/status/1213850414258380807
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday expressed his shock over the violence at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and said that “fascists” are afraid of students’ voices. “The brutal attack on JNU students & teachers by masked thugs, that has left many seriously injured, is shocking. The fascists in control of our nation, are afraid of the voices of our brave students. Today’s violence in JNU is a reflection of that fear,” Gandhi tweeted.
