Saffron show at DU, prez says India first
ABVP, DUSU members march in show of strength, warn ‘antinationals’ who talk about breaking the country
I am from Arunachal Pradesh and study at DU. I am here to protest against those who raised antinational slogans. I am against those antinationals who are talking about dividing my nation. The entire country is against it.
NEW DELHI: Hundreds of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) student members held a march against “anti-national activities” on Delhi University’s North Campus on Thursday.
Around 1,500 members, including students from Maharaja Agrasen, Dyal Singh, Satyawati, Khlasa, Sri Venkateswara College, from different parts of the city turned up at Arts faculty waving the national and ABVP’S saffron flag.
They were shouting slogans like “Burhan Wani ko krantikari kehne walon se azadi” and Bharat ke tukde karne ka narah lagane walon se azadi”.
The march was to show their strength of support and put across the message that they will fight against those who talk about breaking the country.
The ABVP had called for the march after almost 2,000 students from other DU colleges and the Left-leaning student body All India Students’ Association (AISA) held a march on Tuesday, protesting against the violence in Ramjas College on February 22.
‘BRUTAL’ POSTERS
Posters showing alleged brutality by communist organisations in Kerala were pasted across North Campus. The ABVP said the posters show the reality of Left organisations.
“Many people told us that these posters are bad in taste. But imagine the brutality that these families had to go through when their loved ones were killed by Communist goons,” said Saket Bahuguna, ABVP national media coordinator.
Some posters read — “Neither Marxism nor Communism, Nationalism always on top” and “Stop disrespecting the Hindu god and goddesses”.
MOTHERS JOIN PROTEST
Not just students and activists, but mothers of students had also joined the march.
They said that their strong belief in nationalism and respect for the country had brought them there.
“Anti-national slogans are being raised in the campus, so I am here to teach these people a lesson and let them know such activities cannot take place in our country,” said Praveen, ABVP supporter from Rohini.
“My kids study in this university and I am here for them. I am here to protest with them against the anti-national activities,” said a woman from Mandawali.
Every ABVP leader used the Anmol Ratan rape case to attack All India Students Association (AISA). Ratan, an AISA activist of JNU, has been accused of rape.
“These are the people who talk about women empowerment but within them there are people like Ratan, who rape women. This is their level of hypocrisy,” said Shri Shriniwas, ABVP Delhi, organising secretary.
However, AISA said that the ABVP was trying to divert the issue after they failed to garner support from students.
“Ratan’s primary membership was immediately withdrawn from AISA. Nobody defended him because we believe talking about gender justice within an organisation is important. They are only trying to divert issues by talking about Ratan and putting the gory pictures. Does the ABVP want to justify its violence by putting those images? Does the ABVP want to take revenge of those mutilated bodies from DU students?” said Kawalpreet Kaur, AISA member.