Hundreds of students and teachers of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and Delhi University (DU) and senior leaders such as Sitaram Yechury, D Raja, Prakash Karat, Brinda Karat and Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD) leader Sharad Yadav hit the streets of Thursday in solidarity with JNU students demanding removal of Vice Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar, leading to traffic jams in Central Delhi.
Police said JNU student leaders “provoked” fellow protesters to move towards the Rashtraparti Bhavan which escalated tensions. The protesters tried to march towards Rashtrapati Bhawan but were prevented by the Delhi Police that had barricaded Rajendra Prasad Road, Raisina Road and Janpath.
Besides, a number of people protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) raising slogans and carrying placards, banners, also participated in the march from Mandi House to Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD). They shouted slogans demanding strict action against those involved in January 5 campus violence that left around 35 injured.
“JNU students and teachers marched from Mandi House to MHRD, Shastri Bhawan via Rajendra Prasad Road. A delegation of nine people, including teachers, went to meet JS, MHRD. The gathering remained peaceful till they remained in meeting.
However, when the delegation came out after meeting, one of the student leaders provoked the gathering to move towards Rashtrapati Bhawan. Consequently, they stopped traffic at Rajendra Pd Road and some of them tried to march towards Rashtrapati Bhawan. They were prevented from doing so. In the process 11 people were detained and subsequently released,” said Eish Singhal, DCP, New Delhi.
Yechury, CPI (M) general secretary, said, “For three hours, people wearing masks beat up varsity students. They entered the campus with police being present at the main gate.”
Alleging that the incident could not have happened without the V-C knowing about it, he said, “The V-C has to go.” Last week on Sunday, a group of unidentified people wearing masks entered the JNU campus and created ruckus, beating students inside Periyar Hostel with sticks and laathis. They also vandalised university property. About 35 students were hurt.”
The JNU students union has been demanding a rollback of hostel and mess fee hike for the last 70 days and also boycotted registration for the next semester.
The JNUSU office bearers also had a meeting with the MHRD officials on Thursday but after the meeting they led the protest towards Rashtrapati Bhavan, saying they were ‘unsatisfied’ with the official meeting with HRD, “We will not compromise with HRD Ministry over the removal of the V-C. It is still thinking whether the V-C should be removed,” said Aishe Ghosh.
The students demanded resignation of the JNU V-C. Ghose also said that the students and faculty will not relent till Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar is sacked. “We appealed to HRD ministry to remove the V-C, which in turn said a dialogue will be held on Friday,” she said.
The police also resorted to baton charge to control the mob who tried to block the traffic at Janpath. Using loud speakers, the police also appealed to the crowd to maintain peace.
“Today students of JNU marched to MHRD in Delhi with their demand to roll back the fee hike and a resignation of the V-C who gave a free hand to the ABVP, RSS goons to attack the students on campus. The MHRD didn’t agree on the demands of removing V-C and rolling back fee hike. Students union of JNU decided to march towards Rashtrapati Bhawan,” said a member of Pinjra Tod.
The police used force on the students and teachers and during the clash, a student from Ambedkar University of Delhi (AUD) has been injured, they said.
“We were beaten up by the Delhi Police while marching from MHRD to Rashtrapati Bhawan. Female students and teachers have been illegally detained and taken to Mandir Marg and other police stations,” said a student. Meanwhile, about 100 protesters reached Connaught Place (CP) to continue the protest demanding resignation JNU V-C.