Image: Gajendra Yadav / Indian Express
Image: The police assault on Jamia Millia Islamia University Campus is unwarranted, especially as the police, have admitted that students were not involved in the violent protests. Students have a right to protest and peaceful protest is part and parcel of our democratic rights. Rather than addressing the issue, the ruling party is deliberately trying to create a tense situation in institutions like Jamia Millia as well as Aligarh Muslim University so that police get an opportunity to enter there and suppress the peaceful democratic protests, violently.
The tragedy is that our police are not either professional or well trained to handle peaceful protests: they harbour attitudes that automatically lead them to beat up innocent citizens, mercilessly. The Delhi police, in past years has been notorious: recall their treatment of Radhika Vemula, Rohit’s mother at India gate or Fatima Nafees, Najeeb’s mother outside the CBI headquarters!
The real villain in the entire game are politicians who are playing with fire and creating unrest to enable them vilify the Muslims who are duly, and justly agitated that their concerns are not addressed.
How can the police enter into a University campus without the permission of the administration ? Are we becoming a police or a militarised state ? Is this the way to handle a genuine protest which has disturbed the peace of mind of India’s 20 crore population? Does the government think that keeping 20 crore Indians people under threat, on toes will help them politically ?
This is disgraceful to say the least. Even if the politicians play with their petty politics, the police and bureaucracy need to follow the constitution of India and need to be committed to that. It must handle the situation with care and not treat students as criminals.
We know there are sections of the privileged, Brahmanical (manuwadi) media reporting from the ‘battle ground’ which has already decided that the students are ‘criminals’ and police is the saviour!
The video and pictures of student being forced out of campus in a position of ‘surrender’ is most inhuman and barbaric. Like what happened many years ago when the criminals of the Uttar Pradesh police fired on the innocent people of Maliana and Hashimpura, in Meerut, this picture must send shivers in your spine. This is not a way to treat to the young students, who are the future of India. You cant make university campuses a militirised zone.
We must condemn all forms of violence. All students and their associations must understand that there are forces within and outside who are ready to defame them. It is therefore important for them to remain vigilant while at the protest. Keep the vigil and do not allow fire brand speeches which raises the social temperature and even provokes people.
These are issues which need to be seriously thought through. One thing is clear. No Indian should be worried about his citizenship. The amended act does not snatch anybody’s citizenship but is a cover to help those among “illegal infiltrators or refugees” who are non Muslims. The newly amended law cannot take away the citizenship of our Muslim community. Yes, a national NRC is aimed at harassing them and is also a deliberate attempt to keep them on toes. We hope most of the states will not allow the NRC to be implemented in their states.
We hope that the Supreme Court will also look into these matters. Political parties must protest and so must agitated citizens. At the same point of time, we also need to be clear about the aim of these protests. We must not allow rumours to rule over our heads.
As Indian citizens, we stand together in our fight for justice and against all forms of discrimination, oppression and injustice. The Delhi government must order an inquiry into the Jamia incident of violence and all students who have been injured must be provided medical support. The campus must be brought back to normalcy.
Jamia and AMU have a great history and we need to respect their sentiments. Any attempt to criminalise the students and their leaders must be condemned. The rightful concern and grievances of the Muslim community and its youth must be heard with care. When our political parties fail, the people rise in protest and this is spontaneous outcry. It is time for the government and the party in power to think of their actions which are disturbing peace all over the country. It is time for the government to assure the people of its intent.
Will the government step forward as guardian of all the Indian people and reassure agitating Muslims? Or will it allow the situation to escalate to reap narrow political benefits from a polarised polity ?