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Opposition takes to streets over police action on students at Delhi’s Jamia, BJP hits back
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, along with other party leaders, held a sit-in demonstration at the India Gate, and leaders of at least six Opposition parties met in New Delhi to demand a judicial inquiry into the police action on the Jamia Millia Islamia campus.
As fresh protests erupted across India a day after alleged police excesses against students protesting the amended citizenship act in the national capital, top opposition leaders hit the streets on Monday and condemned the police crackdown on students.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, along with other party leaders, held a sit-in demonstration at the India Gate, and leaders of at least six Opposition parties met in New Delhi to demand a judicial inquiry into the police action on the Jamia Millia Islamia campus.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) announced it will move the Supreme Court to challenge the amended citizenship amendment act (CAA). “The amended law violates constitutional provisions. We are opposing it to safeguard the sanctity of the Constitution. It is not a ‘Hindu-Muslim’ issue. It is about being Indian,” party general secretary Sitaram Yechury said.
A group of Left leaders led by CPI(M) politburo member Hannan Mollah went to Jamia for a briefing about the incidents on the campus from the university’s chief proctor, Waseem Ahmad Khan.
At a meeting of the opposition parties attended by leaders of Congress, Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal, CPI(M), Communist Party of India and Loktantrik Janta Dal, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Rajya Sabha’s Leader of the Opposition, said, “Agitations have always been an integral part of student life. But police never entered the premises of the university without permission.” On Tuesday, the opposition parties will march to Rashtrapati Bhavan to protest against the CAA.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted, “The CAB & NRC are weapons of mass polarisation unleashed by fascists on India. The best defence against these dirty weapons is peaceful, non-violent Satyagraha. I stand in solidarity with all those protesting peacefully against the CAB & NRC.”
“I am a mother. These students are of the same age of my children. When the government barges inside a university and assaults students, the country gets hurt,” said Priyanka Gandhi, flanked by senior leaders such as PL Punia, AK Antony, Sushmita Dev, Ahmed Patel and KC Venugopal.
Describing the Sunday’s incident as an assault on the “soul of India”, she announced, “Every Congress leader will stand beside the students and fight against the autocracy of the Modi government.”
The BJP launched a counter-attack and questioned why violent protests started over the legislation just a day after the Congress “re-launched” Rahul Gandhi, referring to the latter’s “Bharat Bachao” rally in Delhi.
“Why is it that on Saturday the Congress tried to re-launch Rahul Gandhi and next day onwards hatred and incidents violence started in the country,” BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said at a press conference.
