A day after Jawaharlal Nehru Uniersity Students' Union (JNUSU) President Aishe Ghosh was brutally attacked when a mob unleashed violence on the campus, she said that it was an “organised attack.”
Ghosh said, “It was an organised attack, they were singling out people and attacking. Since the past four-five days, violence was being promoted in the campus by some RSS-affiliated professors and ABVP.”
Ghosh was admitted to AIIMS late on Sunday, where the doctors said that she had received deep cuts on her forehead. She was discharged in the early hours of Monday.
Demanding the immediate removal of the VC, she further 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.”
Ghosh, talking about being attacked said, “They were about to lynch us there. They kept saying in log ko aaj koot daalenge and kaat dalenge, dekhte hai kya karenge. (Kill these people, we’ll see what they can do) Then I heard someone say that yaha se bhaago, inko nahi maarna tha. (Run from here, we did not have to beat them)."
She added, “Whenever we asked for security, the police said, ‘what can we do? don’t fight amongst yourselves.’ But this was not a fight, but an attack.”
With Blood & Tears on Her Face, Ghosh Went Viral
In a video being circulated online on Sunday, Ghosh, with blood running down her face, can be heard saying, “I've been brutally attacked by goons who were masked, I have been bleeding... I am not in a condition to talk.”
Meanwhile, Sai Balaji, former JNUSU President stated, “She is bleeding! What crime did she do? She is part of students protests against Feehike in JNU! (sic)”
Warning: Distressing visuals
Speaking to news agency IANS, Ghosh's father said that his daughter was attacked today but he may be attacked tomorrow.
“The situation of the entire country is volatile. We are afraid. My daughter has been attacked, tomorrow someone else will be beaten up. Who knows, even I may be beaten up tomorrow.”
During the day, JNU students were attacked by a masked mob on the university campus on Sunday, PTI reported quoting sources.
Balaji had earlier too said, “ABVP has been attacking students who are peacefully protesting against massive fee hike in JNU. Yesterday, a mob led by Ritwik Raj who is councillor from SIS belonging to ABVP attacked students. Then they attacked JNUSU President and General Secretary Aishe and Satish and other students.”
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According to PTI, the clash took place during a public meeting organised by the JNU Teachers' Association.
JNU registrar Pramod Kumar said in a statement, “This is an urgent message for the entire JNU community that there is a law and order situation on the campus. Masked miscreants armed with sticks are roaming around, damaging property and attacking people. The JNU Administration has called the police to maintain order.”
He added, “This is the moment to remain calm and be on the alert.... Efforts are already being made to tackle the miscreants.”
Meanwhile, countering JNUSU’s claims, Durgesh, the college’s ABVP unit president, told IANS, “Around four to five hundred members of the left wing gathered around the Periyar hostel, vandalised the hostel and forcibly entered the hostel to thrash the ABVP activists inside.”
The JNUSU have reiterated that those who were protesting the fee hike were attacked by ABVP.
(With inputs from PTI, IANS)
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