‘Act against cops who attacked AMU students’

PRAYAGRAJ: The Allahabad high court has directed the Uttar Pradesh chief secretary, the state director general of police, the director general of Central Reserve Police Force, the vice chancellor and the registrar of the Aligarh Muslim University to follow the recommendations of the National Human Rights Commission in relation to alleged violence against students and their arbitrary detention during protests in December last year.

The high court also asked for action against policemen, who attacked students during the anti-citizenship Amendment Act protests in AMU on December 15 last year. In its report, the NHRC said the students were attacked “unnecessarily”. The court directed the officers concerned to comply with the order and file a compliance report by March 25.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Govind Mathur and justice Samit Gopal passed the order on a petition filed by Mohd Aman Khan of Prayagraj alleging police brutality.

The petitioner requested the high court to pass several directions, including creation of a

“court-monitored committee” to look into acts of violence and arbitrary detention of students by the state police and paramilitary forces at AMU between December 12 and 15 last year.

On January 8, 2020, the HC asked the NHRC to conduct an inquiry into the matter. A sixmember team later conducted a probe and the commission accepted the report. A copy of the report was sent to the high court.

The recommendations made by the commission include compensation to six students, disciplinary action against policemen seen in CCTV footage attacking students and damaging motorcycles on the AMU campus.

The NHRC also recommended that the police force, the CRPF and Rapid Action Force should be sensitised and special training modules be organised so they can better handle such situations.

“In pursuance of the directions given by this court on January 8, 2020, an inquiry has been conducted by a team of the NHRC. The report submitted by the team has also been accepted by the Commission. A copy of the report along with order of proceedings has been sent to this court by the registrar (Law) of the NHRC,” the high court said.

PANAJI: Vice President Venkaiah Naidu on Monday urged the youth of the country to indulge in peaceful dissent rather than destruction and violence.

Addressing students at the 32nd convocation of the Goa University, Naidu asked students to channelize their energy towards nation-building activities.

“The need of the hour is to channelise the nation building activities. My advice to [the] youth is: shun negativity. We are not under foreign rule .... Silently, without the need of violence you can change government. So please shun negativism. Violence has no place in democracy,” Naidu said.

“Some people are discussing [that] dissent is not allowed. Dissent is essence of democracy .... Nobody can be allowed to speak against the nation,” Naidu said.

“Whether it is [Article] 370… how it came, how it has gone… triple talaq, the CAA and what is there in that. Does it affect the Indian citizens or not? Study, study,” he said.

His comments have come in the wake of several students-led protests against the CAA.