Students across college campuses in Ranchi have turned out in large numbers to protest against the ones attacked at the Jawaharlal Nehru University. Student union organisations expressed solidarity with the JNU students who were beaten by masked men carrying rods and sticks.
Unidentified men armed with stones and sticks barged into the JNU campus on Sunday evening targeting students and teachers alike. Following the attacks candlelight vigils and marches have been observed in many parts of the country.
“JNU is one of the few universities where Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has not won elections with an absolute majority.
The varsities where ABVP is present have a pleasant atmosphere. The universities where people with a communist mind set are active such incidents are more prevalent. The communists wish to come to power flashing weapons which is not possible in a democracy like India,” said Atal Pandey, member of State Executive Council ABVP Jharkhand.
The number of such people is more in JNU and hence incidents like this occur time and again.
In the latest incident students were not allowed to fill forms and those managed to do so were beaten, he said.
“About 100 ABVP supporters have decided to stage a protest against the same on Tuesday evening requesting the central government to look into this matter on urgent basis as the communists are saying that the masked men belonged to ABVP which is not true. Around 25 of our supporters have been badly injured in the incident and are presently hospitalized. ABVP students have been targeted on Sunday,” added Pandey.
President of Ranchi University Adavasi Chatra Snagh Snjay Mahli said that students have planned to stage protests to get a message across to the government that such incidents should be stopped at the earliest as it hampers the atmosphere of educational institutions.
“The incidents taking place in JNU have affected the students in Ranchi to a great extent as students don’t belong to a particular caste or religion. People at the Central government and all supporters of RSS are trying to remove all the students of the backward class and also deprive them of education which is their basic right. They intend to remove the universities and establish ‘gurukuls’. If this continues students will not be study which has created fear amongst them,” said Mahli.
Hundreds of former students associated with the JNU Alumni Jharkhand Association chapter also staged a protest at the Albert Ekka Chpowk on Tuesday.
Ex JNU student and spokesperson of Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee Dr M Tausif said, “The masked men attacked the students, teachers and employees of JNU on the cue of the home ministry, vice chancellor and the Delhi police. The government wants to suppress the students voice by sending goons. Since the BJP has come to power, educational institutions are being targeted.”
Social worker and former student of JNU Upendra Kumar said, “Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and other members of BJP have earlier said that they plan to shut down JNU. The police, administration and the vice chancellor are responsible for this incident.”
XISS Professor Himaduri Sinha said that incidents like this are not acceptable in any State and it is also worrying that the vice chancellor could not prevent it. “All problems can be sorted through a discussion. I am a student of IIT and I support the JNU community,” he said.
Former JNU student and XISS professor Anand Kumar said that targeting students is not right and the incident should be inspected so that the truth is revealed.