NSUI TAKES OUT ‘MASHAAL RALLY’ FOR PEACE AND SAFETY IN DU
NEWDELHI:The Congress-backed National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) organised a peaceful ‘Mashaal Rally’ from Delhi University’s Arts Faculty campus to Ramjas College at 7pm on Tuesday.
Over 100 students participated in the rally, which was aimed at restoring peace and safety in the university in the wake of the group clashes that broke out on the campus on February 22. Teachers, students and journalists had been wounded in the incident. The clashes had broken out over the disruption of a literary festival in Ramjas College a day ago, allegedly by members of RSS-backed ABVP student group.
Raising slogans such as “ABVP go back”, “Inqalab zindabad” and “Bharat Mata ki Jai” and carrying pamphlets of “Fake nationalism cannot be endorsed”, the protesters said that what ABVP did on the campus last week was wrong and totally uncalled for.
“Students were beaten up and instigated against each other. What ABVP did was wrong. The incident that we witnessed in the campus was a new low. So we decided to take out this ‘Mashaal Rally’. We want restoration of peace in the campus. We are here to learn, discuss and debate...not to beat each other up,” said Hasiba Amin, an NSUI office bearer.
The rally ended in half an hour amidst heavy police deployment. Towards the end, the students sat outside the main gate of Ramjas College and sang patriotic songs such as “Yeh desh hai veer jawano ka” and “Hum honge kamyab ek din”. NEW DELHI: Jawaharlal Nehru University student Kanhaiya Kumar, who was arrested and released on bail in a sedition case, advocated for freedom of speech and non-violent opposition to differences.
Kumar joined Delhi University students and teachers in their protest against violence on campus allegedly by ABVP members. The former JNU students union (JNUSU) president said he has no problem if people oppose them but nobody should indulge in violence.
“They say Umar will not be allowed to speak. Fine, don’t let him speak. There is no problem. But who are you to impose that. We have been accused of sedition. Judiciary will decide if that is correct. But your police have not been able to file a chargesheet,” said Kumar.
“As citizens of this country, we have a right to go speak anywhere in this country. You want to protest then please do so. But who gave you right to do violence. Take out black flags, raise slogans and oppose, but don’t indulge in violence,” he said, while addressing students at Arts Faculty.
Leaders from different political parties also joined the protest march. CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, CPI leader D Raja, JDU leader KC Tyagi and Swaraj Abhiyan leader Yogendra Yadav also addressed the students.
Yadav told students that the only way to respond to violence is to be fearless.
“There is an attempt to instil fear and terror. There is intimidation with ruling party’s patronage, in front of police. There is an attempt to do Sanjay Gandhi style ‘gundagardi’. All this can be replied in one way which is for common students to come outside in open and say they are not afraid,” he said.