Ramjas clashes: RSS teachers’ wing demand probe, mechanism to vet DU college events
The Shikshak Sangh demanded a detailed enquiry into the clash of RSS-affiliated student body, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) with students of Ramjas College and SFI and AISA members. The ABVP had objected to the invitation to JNU students Umar Khalid and Shehla Rashid to a literary fest at Ramjas College.
The Rashtrawadi Shikshak Sangh (RSS), a teachers’ body affiliated to the Rashtriya Swamsewak Sangh (RSS), on Saturday said the Leftist students and teachers bodies were abusing their freedom of speech and expression in Delhi University.
The Shikshak Sangh demanded a detailed enquiry into the clash of RSS-affiliated student body, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) with students of Ramjas College and SFI and AISA members. The ABVP had objected to the invitation to JNU students Umar Khalid and Shehla Rashid to a literary fest at Ramjas College.
Addressing a press conference at Kirori Mal College, members of the Shikshak Sangh said both the government and the Delhi University should probe the matter separately.
Read: Ramjas clashes: ABVP wary of JNU’s ‘leftist culture’ seeping into DU
They RSS-affiliated teachers body also announced to take out a symbolic march on Monday at the Arts Faculty against the events which unfolded at Ramjas College on February 21 and 22.
On February 21, a conference called the “Culture of Protest” where Umar Khalid and Shehla Rashid were invited at Ramjas College was cancelled, following opposition from ABVP. Students opposed the cancellation and held a protest where ABVP has alleged that the students and teachers raised anti-national slogans.
On February 22, when the Ramjas students were taking out a march to protest the disruption of the literary fest, members of ABVP allegedly attacked them. In the melee, teachers and journalists were also beaten up.
“It is amusing. They called the event a culture of protest, but when a section of students opposed it, those students became hooligans who were indulging in ‘goondagardi’ . So, we want the government and the administration to run a detailed inquiry into the matter. We will also meet the university administration on this matter,” said Avnijesh Awasthi, Hindi teacher at PGDAV College, and member of Shikshak Sangh.
Read: Ramjas protest: Teachers, students, journalists beaten up in clash with ABVP
The group also attacked JNU teacher Nivedita Menon, author Arundhati Roy and a few others, saying they are the ones who are trying to influence young people on the pretext of protecting freedom of speech and expression.
“We agree that it (freedom of speech) is mandated by the Constitution but it is also accompanied by a constitutional duty. The university should evolve a mechanism in which events being held in the colleges are scrutinised in advance, so that such anti-national activities doesn’t take place. We are told that the Ramjas College principal, till the very last moment, did not know Khalid was invited,” said Pramod Shastri of the physical education department at Kirori Mal College.
They added that they condemned the violence that took place on Wednesday, but added that ABVP has been ‘defamed’.
