Delhi Police under fire over beating women protesters
The video of Saturday’s incident went viral on social media, triggering sharp reactions, with Arvind Kejriwal alleging the police force was being used as RSS and BJP’s ‘private army’
NEW DELHI: Police on Monday came under severe criticism after a video emerged in which its personnel were seen thrashing protesters and dragging female activists by their hair outside the RSS headquarters here during a demonstration against Dalit student Rohith Vemula’s suicide.
The video of Saturday’s incident went viral on social media, triggering sharp reactions, with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal alleging the police force was being used as RSS and BJP’s “private army” under a political dispensation that is at “war” with students across the country.
Two journalists, who have alleged they were beaten up while covering the protest, claimed the police action was “unprovoked” and that the protesters were beaten up mercilessly.
In the 30-second clip, apart from police, some men in civilian clothes are also seen beating up the protesters.
The student protesters were holding a demonstration outside the RSS office at Jhandewalan in central Delhi demanding justice for Vemula, the Hyderabad university research scholar whose suicide last month triggered nationwide outrage.
In the video, a constable is seen dragging a woman protester by hair and pushing her down when she demonstrated against the assault on a fellow demonstrator.
Probe on
Reacting to the video, Delhi police Commissioner B.S. Bassi said he has directed senior officials to investigate the matter and see if there were any “indiscretions”.
“As soon as I was informed about the video, I spoke to Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Deepak Mishra, who later asked Joint Commissioner (Central range) S. K. Gautam to look into the matter.
“We will see if there was any indiscretion. We shall also talk to some of the eyewitnesses apart from analysing the content of the video,” Bassi said.
Addressing a press conference, AAP leader Sanjay Singh alleged BJP and RSS workers were also involved in assaulting the students along with police.
Congress called it a “brutal assualt” by police on a group of “unarmed protesters” and demanded action against guilty policemen.
Kejriwal, who is undergoing naturopathy treatment in Bengaluru, condemned the police’s alleged highhandedness, including with women. “Delhi Police being used by BJP/RSS as their private army to terrorize and teach lesson to anyone opposing BJP/RSS. I strongly condemn attack on students. FTII, Rohith case, Hyderabad University, IITs and now brutal attack on Delhi students. Modi govt seems to be at war with students all across,” Kejriwal tweeted.
Meanwhile, after a fortnightlong unrest over the suicide of Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula, classes at the Hyderabad Central University resumed on Monday even as the agitating students continued the stir over their demands by launching a relay hunger strike.
“Classes are going on. Administration is also working,” a spokes- person for Joint Action Committee (JAC) spearheading the campaign said.
Deadline
“We have set a deadline of ten days. We will continue our agitation in the form of relay hunger strike and organising seminars and rallies peacefully. People from outside also have come to express solidarity with our agitation. (VC) Professor Appa Rao should go. There is no change in that demand,” JAC spokesperson Dickens Leonard said.
The SC/ST Faculty Forum, whose members had lent firm support to the agitation, said the teachers had also resumed academic and administrative responsibilities on the request of in-charge Vice Chancellor M. Periasamy.
Periasamy had on Sunday held a meeting of the representatives of JAC to discuss the demands put forward by the student body.
Periasamy took charge of the varsity after in-charge Vice Chancellor Vipin Srivastava proceeded on leave on Saturday in the wake of the agitators objecting to him being asked to officiate in the absence of Appa Rao, who had gone on leave after the stir escalated.
The HCU sailed through rough weather with agitations ever since Vemula committed suicide in a hostel room on the campus on January 17.
He was one of the five students suspended from using hostel facilities for their alleged role in a case related to the attack of ABVP leader N. Susheel Kumar. Subsequently, after Vemula’s suicide,the university terminated the suspension of the four students.