Protests against CAA, NRC at DU, ABVP counters with anti-Left hoardings

Braving a spell of unseasonal rainfall, hundreds of Delhi University (DU) students came out to protest against the newly amended citizenship act and the National

Braving a spell of unseasonal rainfall, hundreds of Delhi University (DU) students came out to protest against the newly amended citizenship act and the National Register for Citizens (NRC) at the varsity’s arts faculty on Thursday. The protesters, joined by activists, read the Preamble to the Constitution and discussed issues with the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

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Among the speakers at the protest meet, were activists Medha Patkar, great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, Tushar Gandhi and lawyer Karuna Nundy. Addressing the protesters, Patkar said that the ongoing protests by youngsters across the country have scared the government. “The government doesn’t want a dialogue because it knows it will lose. It is scared and that’s why it uses the police,” she said.

Referring to the January 5 incident at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), when a masked mob had entered the campus and attacked students and teachers, Gandhi said, “We have to be empathetic towards the police. They are forced to follow the orders of their masters.”

Raising slogans against the CAA-NRC, students also demanded justice for those attacked in JNU and Jamia Millia Islamia on December 15 last year. “Whatever is happening in the campuses across the country is really scary. We need to raise our voice against it before it reaches our doorsteps,” said Drishti Garg, a third-year student of Delhi University’s Hindu College.

Earlier on January 8, hundreds of students from across DU colleges had taken out a protest march in North Campus against CAA-NRC and mob attack in JNU.

ABVP “anti-Left” and “anti-CAA protesters” hoardings

The ABVP-led Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) put up hoardings with messages such as “Left-Attack in JNU” and “Stop burning the country in the name of CAA” at several spots in North Campus on Thursday.

The hoardings carry pictures of ABVP members injured in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) during the January 5 violence and those injured during anti-CAA protests in different part of the country. In one such hoarding, a mob is seen pelting stones.

DUSU president and ABVP member Akshit Dahiya said that they had decided to put up the hoardings after “anti-CAA” protests reached DU campus. “In these protests, the agitators, who are mainly from the Left organizations, do not talk about any university issues. They come up with posters with messages like “free Kashmir”. That’s why DUSU members held a meeting and decided put up these hoardings,” he said.

NSUI member and DUSU Secretary Ashish Lamba, however, said no such students’ union meeting was held. “We are unaware of any such meeting,” he said.

NSUI Delhi President Akshay Lakra added, “It is sad to see hoe the student’s union budget was wasted by ABVP-led DUSU in North Campus today in spreading Left-Right propaganda in university spaces. NSUI strongly condemns any sort of hate campaign in university campuses.”