Ramjas Protest Gets Violent: Journos, Professors Among Injured
The Quint reporter was manhandled during the violent protests at Ramjas College.
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- Violent clashes between students and ABVP members break outside Delhi University’s Ramjas College
- ABVP on Tuesday had created a ruckus over Ramjas College’ decision to invite JNU students Umar Khalid and Shehla Rashid
- Rashid said police failed to act while ABVP ‘goons’ pelted stones at the protestors
- Both student protesters and ABVP demand for the police to register their complaints
- Three reporters from The Quint were assaulted by the ABVP and policemen.
Violent clashes broke out between two student groups outside Ramjas College, leaving many injured on Wednesday – a day after the ABVP forced the suspension of a conference ‘Cultures of Protest’ where JNU student Umar Khalid was scheduled to speak.
At least a dozen students and a professor of English were wounded during a march from Ramjas college to Maurice Nagar police station when students affiliated to the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), which is the RSS students wing, launched attack on protesting students.
The students had taken out the march to protest against the violence displayed by ABVP members earlier on Tuesday, during the conference.
Former Vice President of JNU Students’ Union, Sheila Rashid who was scheduled to speak at the seminar on Wednesday.
A reporter from The Quint was assaulted by ABVP. Two others were beaten up policemen.
The ABVP, however, denied resorting to violence or forcing the college to cancel the invite to Khalid and Rashid.
The students alleged that police were mute spectators to the violent events. The ABVP, however, denied resorting to violence or forcing the college to cancel the invite to Khalid and Rashid.
Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Esha Pandey told IANS that the situation has been controlled.
Eight policemen suffered injuries in the clashes between the two factions of students, ANI reported.
Delhi Police picked up a person from the protest at random and bashed him up only to realise he was a journalist. Then, they apologised to him.
Video Shows ABVP Members Attacking Students
Indian Writers Forum posted a video showing members of ABVP charging at the protesters even as the police force try to hold them back. They also manhandled female protesters.
Free Speech in Indian Universities Under Threat: Amnesty International
Amnesty International which is a human rights NGO released a statement commenting on the violent protests that took place between the student protesters.
In its official statement, it said:
Reporters of The Quint Discuss the Events That Occurred Outside Ramjas Today
Watch the Facebook Live below:
Police Beats Up Media Persons
The Ramjas protest took yet another violent turn when the security forces, who were deployed to contain the student protest, targeted media persons and beat them up severely.
The Quint’s reporter, Anant Awasthi said the police specifically targeted camera persons.
Students Accuse ABVP Protesters of Pelting Large Rocks
Students complained about the ABVP members throwing large rocks at the protesters. An eye witness said that one of the members launched a “murderous” attack on former Vice President of JNUSU Shehla Rashid, yet the police did not arrest him.
Watch her description of the incident below:
JNU student Umar Khalid called for a protest against ABVP and the police at JNU.
Students Refuse to Move Away from Maurice Nagar
Currently, both parties have taken a resolution to not leave the Maurice Nagar police station until their complaints have been lodged. Representatives of both parties have gone into the police station.
Watch The Quint’s live reportage from outside Maurice Nagar police station.
The Quint Brings You Both Sides of the Story from the Protest
The situation is relatively calm inside the college premises, which has been barricaded by the police. Kanishk Bhargava, a student of Ramjas said that the ABVP students threatened to throw students out of the campus.
The ABVP students have also been using derogatory language against the female protestors, Bhargava said. They also reportedly threw a chair at the teacher.
The Ramjas college protests are getting violent. One of The Quint’s reporters has been injured in the same. We get to you what’s happening there.
DU Professor Badly Assaulted
Dr Prasanta Chakraborty, Assistant Professor at the Department of English of the University of Delhi has been badly assaulted by ABVP goons for participating in the demonstration. He is currently in Hindu Rao hospital.
The Quint Reporter Manhandled During FB Live
The Quint reporter Taruni Kumar was manhandled and injured by the protesters outside Ramjas college as she tried to capture the violent clashes on a Facebook Live. She tells you what happened:
She is currently being treated for her injuries.
Students Beaten Up At Ramjas College, Blame ABVP
Police Silent As ABVP Goons Pelted Stones: Shehla Rashid
Former JNUSU vice-president Shehla Rashid, who was invited to speak at Ramjas College along with Umar Khalid, told CNN-News18 that ABVP "goons" were pelting stones while the police remained silent. She further claimed that police is "protecting" the right-wing ABVP.
A statement issued by AISA on Wednesday claimed that Ramjas students were threatened and assaulted.
Ramjas College Drops Umar Khalid’s Talk
“Cultures of Protest”, a two-day long seminar organised by Delhi University’s Ramjas College, was cancelled on Tuesday after members of the ABVP protested against the participation of JNU students – Umar Khalid and Shehla Rashid Shora. Khalid, who was at the helm of the “nationalism” controversy erupting out of JNU last year, had been invited to speak on Tuesday.
The police had allegedly warned the organisers that they would not be able to provide protection to those attending the seminar, in light of protests by the student party.
Ramjas College Turns Battleground
Ramjas College turned battleground as violent clashes broke out on Wednesday afternoon between the right-wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidya Parishad (ABVP) supporters and student protesters who were joined by members of AISA.
The clashes come a day after “Cultures of Protest”, a two-day long seminar organised by Ramjas College, had to be cancelled after members of the ABVP protested against the participation of Jawaharlal Nehru University students, Umar Khalid and Shehla Rashid Shora.
The Quint reporter Taruni Kumar was manhandled by the protesters outside the college during her coverage of the clashes on a Facebook Live.
Khalid, who was at the helm of the “nationalism” controversy erupting out of JNU last year, had been invited to speak on Tuesday.
The police had allegedly warned the organisers that they would not be able to provide protection to those attending the seminar, in light of protests by the student party.
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Published: 22 Feb 2017,02:46 PM IST