The government said it was willing to discuss in Parliament a police crackdown against a controversial meeting of Jawaharlal Nehru University students, but protests continued on Tuesday in a row that has also seen attack on journalists and teachers by right wing activists.
“The government is ready to walk the extra mile to ensure discussion in Parliament on all issues raised by the opposition,” said parliamentary affairs minister M Venkaiah Naidu after an all-party meeting ahead of the Budget session, during which opposition parties raised a host of issues including the protests at the Jawaharlal Nehru University.
Groups of students, journalists and teachers gathered for protests in Delhi on Tuesday after they were allegedly assaulted on Monday evening outside the Patiala House court hearing a sedition case against a JNU student.
Hundreds of JNU teachers went on strike to protest the arrest of Kanhaiya Kumar, the JNU Students’ Union president who was remanded in custody at a Monday hearing, which was marked by violent scuffles outside the court where fellow students and journalists had gathered to witness his appearance.
Journalists marched till Supreme Court to protest the attacks on them outside the Patiala House Court. They shouted slogans in support of freedom of expression and alleged the Delhi Police had failed to protect them on Monday. A delegation of journalists also met home minister Rajnath Singh.
The Supreme Court agreed to hear on Wednesday plea seeking action against those involved in the violence at Patiala House.
At JNU, teachers joined students in boycotting classes to press for Kumar’s release.
‘Kick them out’: HT journalist recounts mob attack in a Delhi court
“The teachers went on strike today. Some 500 teachers have gathered near the university’s administrative block with banners to show their solidarity with the students,” said Om Prasad of the All India Students Association (AISA).
“They are demanding the immediate release of Kanhaiya and withdrawal of all the cases,” he told AFP.
Academics at foreign universities extended support. “As teachers, students, and scholars across the world, we are watching with extreme concern the situation unfolding at JNU and refuse to remain silent as our colleagues (students, staff, and faculty) resist the illegal detention and autocratic suspension of students,” said a statement posted on a blog run by academics and signed by 455 scholars, many of them JNU alumni of Indian descent.
Outside the university, scores of people demanded the demanded the arrest of those who shouted anti-India slogans at an event on the campus last week. The protestors--said to belong to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal--also demanded the shutdown of what they said was “anti-national” administration of the varsity.
Carrying saffron flags and shouting slogans like ‘JNU prashasan bandh karo (Shut down JNU administration)’, the protestors said those who raised anti-India slogans at an event organised on February 9 to commemorate the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru should be arrested.
“Arrest those ant-national elements,” shouted one of the protestors as he tried to break through a barricade at the university entrance.
“Our protest is in favour of the nation,” he told IANS.
No comments:
Post a Comment