Ramjas college row: Two days after clash, uneasy calm prevails on DU campus

New Delhi: Two days after violent clashes were witnessed at Delhi University’s Ramjas college, the students residing on North Campus are living in fear. While colleges were closed on Friday due to holiday on Maha Shivaratri, the students residing in hostels and PG accommodations in the areas said they felt “uneasy” to roam around the campus which had heavy police deployment. “We were there at the protest when the ABVP started attacking students. [caption id=“attachment_2893754” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image of DU campus. Reuters[/caption] I resisted but when I saw the intensity with which they were beating people, I stepped back to ensure my safety but kept on making a video using my phone. But I have noticed from the window that few boys on motorcycles have been doing rounds of our PG and am not sure if the two are connected. I am too scared to step out,” said a DU student on the condition of anonymity. Ritika Bhalla, a SGTB Khalsa student said, “There is still such heavy deployment of police and the moment you take out your phone to click or record something there are eyebrows raised. It feels so uneasy to even walk around”. “There is an atmosphere of fear in the entire DU community which is leading not just suspension of classes but cancelling of various cultural events that are to take place in different colleges. “It was earlier today that a street play competition of Khalsa College was cancelled following the threat by the DUSU President that any objectionable stuffs might face consequences. This atmosphere of fear is destroying the environment of the entire university and is creating a fear in students,” Aman Nawaz, Secretary of DU unit of Left-backed All India Students Association (AISA). ABVP on its part maintained that they will not allow any “anti-national” activities on campus. “We did not pelt stones and did not initiate the clash. We do not want any kind of violence but we will not allow any anti-national activity on campus,” Amit Tanwar, President of DU Students Union (DUSU) said. Ramjas principal Rajender Prasad said, “We have a called a staff council meeting tomorrow to assess the reasons behind the violence on campus and take further action.” Ramjas College had on Wednesday witnessed large-scale violence between members of AISA and ABVP supporters. The genesis of the clash was an invite to JNU students Umar Khalid and Shehla Rashid to address a seminar on ‘Culture of Protests’ which was withdrawn by the college authorities following opposition by the ABVP. While the DU authorities maintained that the varsity proctor’s office is looking into the issue, the HRD Ministry had yesterday sought a report from the university over the issue.