‘Police crackdown on NEET protesters is an undeclared emergency’: Student leaders

On Wednesday, at a joint press conference, student leaders and lawyers said that students participating in peaceful protests were being stopped, detained and closely watched by the police

MUMBAI: Even as student leaders and lawyers continued raising serious concerns about the police crackdown on students in Mumbai, the Mumbai University senate also entered the fray, voicing its support for students and demanding accountability from the government and the resignation of union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

On Wednesday, youngsters staged a protest at Ambedkar Garden in Chembur (Satish Bate/ Hindustan Times)

On Wednesday, at a joint press conference, student leaders and lawyers said that students participating in peaceful protests were being stopped, detained and closely watched by the police. They said the situation was akin to an ‘undeclared emergency’ because of the way protesters were being treated.

“I had only heard about the emergency from my parents and grandparents but now I feel I am experiencing something similar,” said advocate Samya Korde from the Progressive Students Union, adding that the police detained her on July 20 before she could leave her home to attend a protest at Shivaji Park. “The demonstrations have been peaceful but students are being detained even after sharing their details with the police on July 20,” she said.

Korde said that on Wednesday, the police picked up students from different parts of Mumbai, some of whom were merely standing outside their colleges. “The movement has now gone beyond political groups, with many students independently using social media to gather support,” she said. “After the implementation of Section 144, which bans large public gatherings, student groups are planning to hold small indoor meetings across the city to continue raising their demands related to the NEET paper leak.”

Aamir Kazi of the All India Students Federation (AISF), who was detained by the police on July 18 while on his way to Azad Maidan, said they had been monitoring him and other AISF members since then. He also claimed that he needed medical assistance during his detention but was not allowed to receive it. Leslie D’Souza, a representative of Chhatra Bharati, said that while the Mumbai police had cooperated during the first protest at Azad Maidan on July 17, their behaviour changed after the police action in Delhi. She also claimed that she was under police watch.

Lawyers Vikrant Khare, Kalyani Mangave and other members of the legal team, who shared their contact details on social media to provide legal help, said they had received more than 100 calls since morning. “We have not yet received copies of the FIRs but the notices issued to students mention serious charges, including unlawful assembly, disobedience of official orders and violation of Section 144, which could harm their future,” said Khare.

Mangave urged students not to panic if they were called by the police. She advised them to exercise their legal rights, record videos inside police stations if needed, avoid handing over their mobile phones and immediately contact a lawyer for assistance.

Meanwhile, the Mumbai University (MU) Senate on Wednesday passed a resolution to send a memorandum to the President through university chancellor Jishnu Dev Varma. The memorandum, which refers to the deaths of 22 students, expresses support for the nationwide student protests and urges President Droupadi Murmu to immediately dismiss union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

During the meeting, Yuva Sena Senate member Param Yadav moved a resolution condemning the police lathi charge and action against protestors in Delhi and Mumbai. The resolution was passed with the support of the BUCTU, a teachers organisation. The MU Senate also agreed to forward the Yuva Sena memorandum to the governor for submission to the President.