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JNU violence Latest updates: Soon after reports of the violence in JNU surfaced, Union minister Smriti Irani said that universities shouldn’t be turned into “hubs of politics”. “Neither should students be used as political pawns,” she added. However, Twitter users quoted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official website which said that he was also a “young Pracharak” and an associate of ABVP. Several Bollywood personalities like Anurag Kashyap, Anubhav Sinha, Richa Chadda, Tapsee Pannu, and Vishal Bhardwaj gathered at the Gateway of India in Mumbai. People have gathered at the iconic site in protest against the violence against JNU students on Sunday evening. A clash has broken out between students of the Jadavpur University and the West Bengal Police in Kolkata during the former’s protest against the JNU violence. Reportedly, the police also lathicharged the students. Angshuman Choudhury, a researcher who is outside the JNU campus at the moment, said that a crowd that had raised slogans hailing Savarkar and Delhi Police was dispersed on Monday evening. Reportedly, the crowd, largely made up of ABVP and RSS members, chanted, “Vaampanth ki kabar khudegi, Savarkar ki dharti pe. Comrades ki ek hi dawai, juta, chappal aur kutai. Delhi Police lath maaro, hum tumhare saath hai.” He also added that Delhi Police was present in riot gear. Delhi Police PRO MS Randhawa on Monday addressed a press conference amid outrage against the violence that erupted in JNU on Sunday night and said that the varsity administration had called the police about a “scuffle” that had broken out between students. “We got the call at 7.45 and we went to the university, conducted a flag march and brought the situation under control. The spot where the scuffle between the students broke out is an area where Delhi Police is not usually deployed,” he said. BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi on Monday tweeted photos of ABVP students who had allegedly been “lynched” by the Opposition parties when they had gone to register for the exams, a process which the JNUSU had called a boycott against. “Let’s call out this selective bigotry and outrage,” she said. Jawaharlal Nehru University Student Union (JNUSU) president Aishe Ghosh on Monday, after getting discharged from the hospital after suffering serious injuries in the incident of violence against the varsity students on Sunday, said, “Yesterday’s attack was an organised attack by goons of RSS and ABVP. Since the past four to five days, violence was being promoted in the campus by some RSS affiliated professors and ABVP.” JNUSU president Aishe Ghosh, who was injured in the violence against varsity students on Sunday night, said, “Every iron rod used against the students will be given back by debate and discussion. JNU’s culture will not be eroded anytime soon. JNU will uphold its democratic culture.” BJP ally in the NDA, the JD(U) on Monday demanded the removal of the JNU vice-chancellor and a probe by a Supreme Court judge into the Sunday night violence in the university. The party also accused the Delhi Police of failing in its duties. Party spokesperson KC Tyagi, in a statement, said that his party strongly condemned the “violent activities of goons” in the JNU campus, and that all sections of society should slam the way elected office bearers of the JNU Students’ Union were attacked by masked outsiders. JNU Students’ Union president Aishe Ghosh, who was injured in the violence that took place at the university, said she was specifically targeted during a peace march on the campus. Ghosh told PTI that a group of around 20-25 masked people disrupted the peace march and attacked her with iron rods on Sunday. She suffered head injuries and was admitted to AIIMS here. Ghosh was discharged on Monday. She alleged that when she was at the School of International Studies on Saturday to oversee the registration boycott being done by the JNUSU, a professor had threatened to teach her a lesson. People have gathered at Hutatma Chowk, from where they will march to the Gateway of India to join the existing protest. Slogans condemning the Centre, CAA, NRC, Delhi police and ‘gundagardi’. Office-bearers of the JNUSU will address the media at Sabarmati T-Point in JNU at 4.30 pm, followed by testimonies of the injured students. CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said the attack within the JNU campus was a pre-planned one. Additional security forces have been deployed across Uttar Pradesh, including at the campuses of the Banaras Hindu University and Aligarh Muslim University. The Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers’ Association (JNUTA) demanded the removal of Vice Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar after the attack on students and faculty members by an armed masked mob. Addressing a press conference, the JNU teachers also demanded an inquiry into the violence on Sunday when a masked mob armed with sticks and rods attacked students and teachers and damaged property on the campus. Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray likened the JNU violence to the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack. Calling it an act of cowardice, he asked why the attackers wore masks. He demanded an investigation to find out who were these masked attackers. Congress leader P Chidambaram demanded that Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik be held accountable for the attacks on a group of JNU students and teachers by a masked mob, saying the perpetrators of the crime must be identified within 24 hours and brought to justice. BJP spokesperson Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga tweeted a “video” of the protest held at Mumbai’s Gateway of India on Sunday night where former JNU student and activist Umar Khalid joined protests and raised slogans of ‘Azadi’. Alleging that “Muslim and Leftist” students in Mumbai raised slogans demanding “Hinduo se Azadi” (freedom from Hindus), Bagga demanded that the Mumbai Police and Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray take action against the “goons”. In response, Khalid, and several other Twitter users, called Bagga a “paid piper of the regime”, deployed to spread lies that meddle with the focus of the protests in an attempt to blur the agenda at hand. Peaceful protest at Gateway of India continues, after beginning on Sunday night, shortly after violence erupted on the JNU campus. Slogans demanding Amit Shah’s resignation were raised as protesters held tricolors and also talked about Kashmir and against the NRC, chanting “Hum kagaz nahi dikhayenge”. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called the violence in the JNU campus a “dangerous, planted” attack on democracy. “Anyone who speaks against them (government) is labelled a Pakistani and an enemy of the country. On one side, they sent BJP goons (into the campus) and on the other side, they made the police inactive. This is a fascist surgical strike,” she said. Writing to President Ram Nath Kovind for the third time, JNU Teachers’ Association highlighting the crisis at the university and demanding Vice Chancellor Mamadala Jagadesh Kumar’s removal. The letter alleged that the university administration and attackers acted in collusion, which is also the reason behind no action by the security or police for a long time since the commencement of the attacks. Home Minister Amit Shah requested Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal to call JNU representatives and hold talks, sources told PTI. The sources added that Baijal was apprised of the situation within the campus and police will talk to the students and begin collecting evidence. Following the violence at JNU, polices forced were put on alert and additional security forces were deployed at campuses across Uttar Pradesh, including Aligarh Muslim University. Union Minister Prakash Javadekar condemned the violence at JNU. Speaking on the same lines as Union Minister Giriraj Singh, who blamed the Left for defaming the varsity, Javadekar said that Congress, Communists, AAP and some other elements want to create an “environment of violence in universities across the country”. National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) to protest against violence at JNU at Arts Faculty, North Campus in Delhi University at 2 pm. Ramavtar Meena, senior warden of Sabarmati Hostel in JNU tendered his resignation on moral grounds. His resignation said that “we tried but could not provide security to hostel”. Congress leader Kapil Sibal demanded answers to many questions pertaining to the violence at JNU, including the silence of the Home Minister and Vice Chancellor and how masked people were allowed to enter the campus. JNU Vice Chancellor Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar added that the origin of the present situation in JNU lies in some agitating students turning violent and “obstructing the academic activities of a large number of non-protesting students”. He appealed for peace and added that winter semester registration will be conducted. The Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers’ Association will address a press conference at 2 pm on Monday. Additionally, the JNU Students’ Union will also address the media at 3 pm at the Sabaramati T-Point within the varsity campus. The Delhi Police has registered a case against unidentified people in connection with violence in Jawaharlal Nehru University, officials told PTI on Monday. The case has been registered under section of rioting and damage to property. JNU Students’ Union president Aishe Ghosh, and 33 others who were injured in the violence at the university, were discharged from the AIIMS on Monday. A student of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) was seen leaving the campus after a violence broke out on Sunday evening. Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has expressed shock over the violence. Taking to microblogging site Twitter, he said, “Violence has no space in democracy and such attacks on students must be condemned unequivocally. Appeal law enforcement agencies to take swift action to apprehend the culprits and wish the injured students a speedy recovery.” Meanwhile, students from various colleges in Mumbai joined the protest at the Gateway of India in Mumbai on Monday morning to condemn the violence at JNU. Condemning the violence at the JNU campus on Sunday night, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan called the attack on students and faculty of JNU an “appalling display of intolerance running amok”. Jamia Coordination Committee demanded that the goons who unleashed terror in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) be identified and a First Information Report (FIR) be initiated immediately against them. The Secretary of Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has called the Registrar, Proctor and Rector of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) for a meeting on Monday. Meanwhile, Delhi Police said that multiple complaints in connection with Sunday’s violence were received and a FIR will be registered soon. Delhi Traffic Police ordered shut road number 13A between Mathura Road and Kalindi Kunj traffic movement. People coming from Noida have been advised to take DND or Akshardham to reach Delhi. Students from different colleges gathered outside Gateway of India to protest against the violence in Jawaharlal Nehru University. Former JNU students Umar Khalid and Kunal Kamra were part of the group which also held a candlelight vigil to show solidarity with JNU students. It was an “impromptu assembly at a short notice,” a student said. Meanwhile, students of Film and Television Institute of India gathered against the attacks within the JNU campus too. JNU, in a statement released late Sunday night, said, “Violators of university rules who are trying to disrupt peaceful academic atmosphere of campus will not be spared.” “I appeal to all students to maintain dignity of university and peace on campus.” HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank told PTI.
Senior lawyer Indira Jaising has asked the Chief Justice of India to take suo motu cognisance of the situation to protect the life and liberty of the students and teachers.
Home minister Amit Shah has spoken to the Delhi Police Commissioner, and has inquired about the situation in JNU. Assistant professor Mohinder Singh tells Firstpost, “I was having tea at Sabarmati dhaba and saw lots of students and teachers running towards the dhaba. They were being attacked by a mob, most of whose faces were covered, they had weapons in their hands, lathis and were also attacking students and teachers with stones. I also ran away and students ran towards the hostel.” The Hindu reports Baba Gang Nath Marg, the road leading to JNU main entrance gate, is blocked by Delhi Police. “We have not been called inside the campus. But police are deployed outside. We will take the action after getting complaint,” says a senior officer who is present at the JNU main gate. Speaking on the condition of anonymity,a JNU student confirmed other student’s account and told Firstpost, “Since morning, students have been boycotting the registration process. The ABVP, colluding with the administration, entered hostels, including girls hostels, and destroyed property, They were carrying bottles of acid, stones, axes and daggers. A mob of around 100 to 200 people attacked each and every hostel, beat students mercilessly and even attacked teachers and vandalised cars.” Former Congress leader and Union minister P Chidambaram tweeted and said, “If it is happening on live TV, it is an act of impunity and can only happen with the support of the government. This is beyond belief.” On Sunday, Jawaharlal Nehru University Student Union (JNUSU) president Aishe Ghosh was brutally attacked on campus after a clash broke out between members of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Students’ Union and the ABVP on the university campus on Sunday. According to sources who wished to be unnamed, the clash took place during a public meeting organised by the JNU Teachers’ Association. The students’ union claimed that its president Aishe Ghosh and many other students were injured in stone pelting by ABVP members. A JNU student, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “Police are deployed on campus. There are RSS men and ABVP members. They’ve called some outsiders. They had their faces covered and lathis. They barged in and attacked male and female students. The situation is grim and scary. Ghosh was taken to hospital.” With inputs from PTI