It is crucial to highlight here that at least two of the three men arrested are associated with the Bharatiya Janata Party’s IT cell in Varanasi. As per the details available on the social media profiles of the two accused, Kunal Pandey was a coordinator for the BJP IT cell’s Varanasi unit while Saksham Patel was a co-coordinator. As per a report of the Quint, an anonymous Varanasi BJP leader also provided that Pandey is the son-in-law of a local BJP councillor. As per the report of the IE, a senior office-bearer of the BJP media team for Kashi zone confirmed that Patel was a co-coordinator of the BJP IT cell, Varanasi unit, while Pandey was a coordinator for BJP IT cell Varanasi unit. The officer also provided that the two are not part of the new team that was formed after Diwali. Notably, the FIR (First Information Report) in the present case had been filed prior to the festival of Diwali.

The said incident, which had caused a massive uproar in the campus and had resulted in protests being organised demanding justice and a safer campus for women, had taken place in the beginning of November 2023. According to the complaint lodged by the victim on November 2, she was out with a friend on the IIT-BHU campus on the night of November 1 when the incident took place. The duo was near the Karman Baba temple when three men came there on a motorcycle and forcibly took her to a corner and gagged her after separating her from her friend. The three accused then stripped the victim, made a video of her and clicked photos. As per her complaint, she was let go after 15 minutes. The three accused took her phone number, the complaint stated. Based on the complaint, a FIR had been lodged. Later, on November 8, the survivor had recorded her statement before the magistrate and the police investigating officer, which resulted in charges pertaining to gang rape being added to the case.  The survivor had also alleged that the incident had been carried out at gunpoint. 

Arrest of the three accused, confession followed:

The report of the Quint provided that a Varanasi police official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, shed light on the way the three accused were identified and nabbed by the police. As per the report, the movements of the three accused were being traced with the help of an informer, which ultimately led to their arrest. It had been previously provided that the faces of the trio were unclear in the CCTV footage accessed by the police, since the incident took place in the night.

The police said the three were arrested on the night of December 30, 2023. As provided by the report of the IE, Varanasi DCP (Kashi zone) Ram Sevak Gautam provided that the three arrested accused have confessed to the crime. DCP Gautam further stated that mobile phones have been recovered from the accused as well as the motorcycle they used in the crime. It has further neem asserted by DCP Gautam that The Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, 1986 will also be invoked by the police in this case. As per multiple media reports, the three accused were sent to judicial custody for 14 days by a local court on the evening of December 31, 2023.

Opposition, social media users slam the BJP and the silence of mainstream media

As soon as the news of the arrest surfaced and the previous posts of the accused went viral establishing their links with the current ruling BJP party, the opposition parties started slamming them. In a video, Supriya Shrinate showed the pictures of the three accused with top leaders of the BJP, namely PM Narendra Modi, Union Minister of Women and Child Development Smriti Irani and President of BJP, JP Nadda. She further accused the party of protecting and promoting rapists, attacking them for keeping a calculative silence over the matter.

The video can be viewed here:

IIT BHU में दो महीने पहले एक छात्रा का गैंगरेप हुआ, जिसमें 60 दिनों तक गिरफ्तारी नहीं हुई।

जब गिरफ्तारी हुई तब तीनों आरोपी BJP के पदाधिकारी निकले।

BJP में न सिर्फ बलात्कारियों को संरक्षण मिलता है, उन्हें ऊंचे पद भी दिए जाते हैं।

: @SupriyaShrinate जीpic.twitter.com/TFPIHpyQ7c

— Congress (@INCIndia) December 31, 2023

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav also took to ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) to criticise BJP, stating that the three arrested were part of a new crop of BJP workers thriving under the patronage of senior leaders. Yadav also alleged that the Uttar Pradesh government had been forced to arrest the men because of the solid evidence in the case and the growing public anger.

In his post, Yadav had written “Every woman across the country is seeing how the BJP is playing with women’s dignity and protecting those accused of atrocities, harassment and rape.”

The post can be viewed here:

ये हैं भाजपा के दिग्गज नेताओं की छत्रछाया में सरेआम पनपते और घूमते भाजपाइयों की वो नयी फसल, जिनकी ‘तथाकथित ज़ीरो टॉलरेंस सरकार’ में दिखावटी तलाश जारी थी लेकिन पुख़्ता सबूतों और जनता के बीच बढ़ते गुस्से के दबाव में भाजपा सरकार को आख़िरकार इन दुष्कर्मियों को गिरफ़्तार करना ही… pic.twitter.com/VgVJFZBPUO

— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) December 31, 2023

Indian National Congress’ Uttar Pradesh chief Ajay Rai also attacked BJP by posting on social media that “This is the evil face of BJP. Shameful.” In his post on X, Rai stated “For the BJP, ‘Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao’ is just a slogan. I had said at that time that BJP people are involved in this matter.”

The post can be viewed here:

“भाजपा के लिए ‘बेटी बचाओ-बेटी पढ़ाओ’ बस एक नारा है।

मैंने उसी समय कहा था कि इस मामले में भाजपा के लोग शामिल हैं।”

IIT-BHU की बिटिया के दोषियों की गिरफ्तारी पर प्रदेश अध्यक्ष श्री @kashikirai जी की टिप्पणी pic.twitter.com/smOj6aCRP1

— UP Congress (@INCUttarPradesh) December 31, 2023

In addition to this, Mohammed Zubair, fact-checker and co-founder of Alt News, severely criticised the main stream media from not reporting the news of the three accused arrested being linked to the ruling BJP party.

The post can be viewed here:

Hello @sudhirchaudhary @RubikaLiyaquat
@AmanChopra_ @RajatSharmaLive @AMISHDEVGAN @SushantBSinha @anjanaomkashyap @navikakumar @RShivshankar @TV9Bharatvarsh @abplive @TNNavbharat @aajtak
You ignored to do a prime time debate when the incident happened in November. You all… https://t.co/zZqQ9uL7xj pic.twitter.com/jJcNfAKTQS

— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) December 31, 2023

The post can be viewed here:

ANI’s Smita Prakash would pick up every video BJP spokesperson @Shehzad_Ind makes and shares it from their official News handle. Maybe ANI will report on IIT-BHU if Shehzad Poonawala makes a video on the accused. pic.twitter.com/FuAyNdRGVj

— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) January 1, 2024

Many other social media users have alleged that the police took a period of 60 days to arrest the accused since they were associated with the ruling party.

The post can be viewed here:

I BIG BREAKING l

IIT-BHU Sexual Assault Case

— The Police came to know about the accused within three days of the incident.
— They were not arrested for being members of BJP IT Cell.
— The arrest might not have taken place if the Magistrate had not exerted pressure.

— Will… pic.twitter.com/3NEENMTtwP

— তন্ময় l T͞anmoy l (@tanmoyofc) January 2, 2024

Related:

BHU molestation case: No arrests made, students allege a previous incident of molestation by bike-borne men, institute puts in security measures

IIT-BHU: Female student molested, abused and stripped by three bike-borne men inside campus

Dalit academic alleges assault, molestation; FIR names 2 faculty, 2 students: BHU

The post IIT-BHU gangrape: 3 accused arrested, at least 2 associated with BJP IT cell of Varanasi appeared first on SabrangIndia.

According to the Lanka police station, the survivor recorded her statement before the magistrate on November 8, 2023 under Section 164 of the CrPC (Criminal Procedure Code). In the statement, she told the magistrate that she was not only molested but also raped by the three men.

As per a report of the Times of India, after the magisterial statement of the student, the police introduced the Section 376 (D) of the Indian Penal Code, which penalised the offence of gangrape. Prior to this, the case against the three accused had been registered under Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 509 (Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman). The investigation of the case is being pursued by Police Inspector Shivakant Mishra of Lanka police station.

As per the Newsclick report, Banaras Police Commissioner Mutha Ashok Jain has said that it will not be far when the accused will be held and that it is possible for the accused to escape, as the survivor had given her written statement in front of the police and magistrate. This matter will be exposed soon, he further said. Sources said the police have found clues about the criminals and they may be exposed any day, the report stated.

FIR against 18 for disrupting peaceful protest

A day after a scuffle broke out between members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarti Parishad (ABVP), All India Students Association (AISA) and the Bhagat Singh Chatra Morcha (BCM) on November 5, a complaint was registered. As per the report of the Indian Express, a 20-year-old woman, a member of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), registered a complaint against 17 named persons and one unidentified person, alleging that during the protest, “objectionable” slogans were raised and when confronted, the accused “verbally abused, assaulted and also used criminal force with intent to disrobe woman.”

It has been alleged by the complainant in the complaint that the accused had also made remarks targeting a particular community. Notably, the Varanasi police have registered an FIR and booked 18 persons in connection with the clash.

According to the IE report, the FIR filed states that the complainant, along with three others, including a woman, went to the protest site to seek justice for the victim in the November 2 molestation incident. “We found that some outsiders were part of the protest and they were raising objectionable slogans. When we raised an objection, the accused attacked us,” the complainant told police. She added that following “severe beating” she as well as her friend suffered leg fracture. She also claimed that the accused made “casteist” remarks to one of her friends.

The said FIR had been filed under section 505 -2 (Statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes.), 147 (rioting), 354-B (Assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe.), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 ( Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace ), 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC. The police have also invoked the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 against the accused.

The protest by students continue

On November 8, the students at IIT-BHU boycotted their classes and held their classes on Library Road in front of the Director’s office, protesting the non-arrest of the accused. Later in the evening, thousands of BHU students took out a huge march carrying placards in their hands. The movement ended after a huge struggle.

Later, on the evening of the same day, thousands of students took to the streets and put pressure on the police. The students took out a march of about 3-kilometer, starting from the office of the Director of IIT, and raised slogans against the police. As per the IE report, some students were even seen walking barefoot with the photo of Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya in their hands. The students’ march passed through Hyderabad Gate and Visvesvaraya Square and reached the Director’s office and turned into a dharna. The students said that the protest would continue until the accused were arrested.

Late at night, many top police officers reached the spot among the students protesting outside IIT-BHU. They held several rounds of talks with representatives of the IIT Students Parliament. After receiving concrete assurance of the early arrest of the accused, the agitating students went back to the hostels. The students have, however, given an ultimatum that if the accused are not arrested soon, they would take to the streets and protest again.

Related:

BHU molestation case: No arrests made, students allege a previous incident of molestation by bike-borne men, institute puts in security measures

IIT-BHU: Female student molested, abused and stripped by three bike-borne men inside campus

Dalit academic alleges assault, molestation; FIR names 2 faculty, 2 students: BHU

The post After statement before the magistrate by survivor, police adds gang rape section to the case registered appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Several media reports have revealed the open clashes taking place between various student member groups at the institutions and attempts by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarthi Parishad (ABVP) of creating chaos. According to a report in the English Jagran, a scuffle broke out between student members of the ABVP, All India Students Association (AISA) and the Bhagat Singh Chatra Morcha (BCM) on November 5. With the ABVP accused of “being violent and unjust by the BCM, the office bearers of the ABVP have, accused members of the AISA and the BCM of “starting the scuffle.”

The “clash” between the groups escalated to the extent that the police had to intervene and light force was used to disperse them. According to the Jagran report, the members of AISA had planned to burn effigies of PM Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Vice Chancellor of BHU and the Principal of Women’s College, BHU. When the ABVP members tried to snatch the effigy, a scuffle broke out. In turn, , the members of the ABVP had themselves indulged in burning effigies of Uttar Pradesh Congress president, Ajay Rai, who had recently issued a statement accusing the ABVP members in connection with the aforementioned incident of sexual harassment with the female student.

According to Rai, persons associated with ABVP and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) were involved in the incident of sexual harassment. Rai had attacked the government by alleging that the government had appointed people associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in universities leading to the saffronisation of universities. He demanded immediate arrest of the people associated with the Sangh who were encouraging ABVP workers, a report by the India Herald provided.

Police yet to make any arrests, another incident comes to light

Shockingly, no arrests have been made by the police in connection with the case so far.. As per a report of Times of India, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Bhelupur, Praveen Kumar Singh has stated that the ­­­­. Police officers have stated that apart from the university guards, police constables have also been deployed at the entry gates of the institute. The police have also assured that specialised teams have been assembled to pursue the culprits.

Even as the police dithers from taking any concrete action, protesting students have revealed that another female student had faced a similar ordeal two days before the aforementioned incident on November 1. According to the Free Press Journal (FPJ), Pranav Suresh, vice-president of IIT-BHU Students’ Parliament, a students’ group of the institute, in a video statement stated that on October 30, another such incident of sexual violence had taken place.  “While the current incident occurred on Wednesday night, another female student was molested by three men who touched her inappropriately and fled from the spot on Monday night,” the report provided.

It was further alleged by Suresh that the victim had lodged a complaint regarding the matter with the proctorial board. Suresh had also claimed that such incidents have become common on the campus and are committed by outsiders who easily enter the campus. Notably, ACP Singh had denied having any information on the Monday incident and stated, “The university administration has not informed us about any such incident.”

Meanwhile, on November 4, ABVP members protested Ajay Rai’s statement by, in turn, staging a protest and burning effigies of Rahul Gandhi and Ajay Rai. The ABVP had also demanded punitive measures against Rai for his claims. An FIR had also been filed at the Lanka police by the ABVP members against Rai on November 3. He has been booked under Section 505(2) (statement conducing to public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code.

On November 5, four days after the shocking recent case of disrobing and molestation of a woman stident, abuse and harassment reported from inside the campus Banaras Hindu University and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) BHU, a joint meeting of the administrations was organised to raise the issue of student security. According to a press release, both the administrations have decided to take measures on surveillance, CCTV coverage, and lighting on the roads. Notably, the meeting was attended by BHU vice-chancellor Sudhir Kumar Jain, IIT BHU director Pramod Kumar Jain and other top functionaries.

The press release details the measures that both the institutions will be employing for ensuring the safety and peaceful and peaceful living of students of the campuses. Among the measures, the institutes state that proper lighting will be provided on the campus within the next two days along with strengthened security barriers and strict enforcement of security protocol. “All the seven gates of the campus are being under strict check from 10 pm to 5 am to restrict the entry of anti-social elements,” the official statement added.

Furthermore, the institutions emphasised that the already existing women’s grievance cells at IIT (BHU) and BHU will be strengthened and more participation from students was encouraged. The institutes have also formed a joint committee of faculty members which would work towards safety of students.

On the night of November 1, a female engineering student of IIT-BHU was allegedly molested and stripped by three motorcycle-borne men near her hostel. According to the complaint lodged by the victim, she was out with a friend on the IIT-BHU campus on Wednesday night when the incident took place. The duo were near the Karman Baba temple when three men came there on a motorcycle and forcibly took her to a corner and gagged her after separating her from her friend. The three accused then stripped the victim, made a video of her and clicked photos. As per her complaint, she was let go after 15 minutes. The three accused took her phone number, the complaint had stated. An FIR (First Information Report) had been lodged based upon the complaint. A massive protest by hundreds of students had taken place after the incident had been reported.

On the issue of constructing a boundary wall between the two campuses, a demand raised by the students over the recent incident of women violence, the members of the meeting resolved not to create a boundary wall between the two educational institutions as they believed that it will not solve the problem and is not feasible. The official statement provided that “It was unanimously agreed upon that in the current situation, in which many faculty buildings and other units/services such as hospital, sewage system, power/water supply, post office, roads leading to the campus, entry gates etc. are jointly shared, it is not feasible to isolate/divide the campus with a boundary wall. Both the institutions reiterated their commitment for ensuring safety of students in the campus as a whole and to take necessary measures as and when needed.” The institutes have urged students to extend their cooperation and resolved to implement the measures in “full-force”.

The complete press release can be read here:

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ABVP’s strong arm tactics have received a soft touch from law enforcement & the Indian state: 2014-2022

The post BHU molestation case: No arrests made, students allege a previous incident of molestation by bike-borne men, institute puts in security measures appeared first on SabrangIndia.

According to the complaint lodged by the victim, she was out with a friend on the IIT-BHU campus on Wednesday night when the incident took place. The duo were near the Karman Baba temple when three men came there on a motorcycle and forcibly took her to a corner and gagged her after separating her from her friend. The three accused then stripped the victim, made a video of her and clicked photos. As per her complaint, she was let go after 15 minutes. The three accused took her phone number, the complaint stated.

As per the report of the New Indian Express, on the basis of the woman’s complaint, an FIR has been registered under Section 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of the Indian Penal Code and under provisions of the IT Act at Lanka police station. The police further asserted that efforts are being made to identify the three accused.

The students of IIT-BHU staged a massive protest against the aforementioned incident by gathering near IIT-BHU’s Rajputana Hostel. The students claimed that outside elements were involved in the incident and demanded that outsiders be banned from entering the campus. The students raised slogans demanding justice and a safer campus for women.

Stand in complete solidarity with the students of IIT BHU who are demanding punishment for the culprits who sexually harassed the students. Sexual harassment can’t be tolerated at any cost. All support needs to be extended to the survivors. pic.twitter.com/LfmRPmBhO4

— Aishe (ঐশী) (@aishe_ghosh) November 2, 2023

Protest against the management of @IITBHU_Varanasi for being unable to provide security to the students #iitbhuvaranasi #iitlackssecurity pic.twitter.com/1bub7WiTUw

— siddu_siddartha_roy (@kmsiddartha43) November 2, 2023

Despite ongoing calls for campus security enhancements, the director and chief proctor remain inactive. Last night, a student was assaulted on our campus. We, the students of IIT BHU, demand immediate action and increased security. #SafetyFirst #IITBHU pic.twitter.com/RdgPhldV8I

— Prashant Rao (@raoprashant61) November 2, 2023

A video by the Quint showed the students protesting and raising demands for action by the Director of BHU.

Massive protests broke out at the Indian Institute Of Technology (BHU) in Uttar Pradesh’s #Varanasi on 2 November after a student alleged that she was molested on campus by three unidentified men. pic.twitter.com/bmeMFZcO01

— The Quint (@TheQuint) November 2, 2023

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also took to ‘X’ (formerly known as Twitter) to condemn the incident. She said “Are BHU campuses and even top institutions like IITs not safe now? Is it no longer possible for a girl student in the Prime Minister’s constituency to walk fearlessly inside her own educational institution?”

Her post can be accessed here:

बनारस में IIT, BHU की एक छात्रा पर यौन आक्रमण हुआ है। कुछ देर पहले, विश्वविद्यालय-परिसर में, उस छात्रा के साथ ज़ोर-ज़बर्दस्ती और दिल दहला देने वाली हिंसा की गयी है। निर्लज्ज हमलावरों ने घटना का वीडियो भी बना लिया है। घटना के विरुद्ध आईआईटी के छात्र प्रदर्शन कर रहे हैं।

क्या अब…

— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) November 2, 2023

Not the first incident of sexual violence against women at IIT-BHU

In July 2023, two men were booked by the Varanasi police after a female student of BHU had alleged that she was sexually harassed and thrashed by a group of male students inside the BHU cyber library. As per her complaint, the group had also assaulted her on the route to the central library on the campus. As per the report of Times of India, in her complaint, the 28-year-student alleged that she was busy studying at the cyber library on Saturday afternoon when accused Saurabh Rai and his accomplices reached there and started misbehaving with her. Following this, she was forced to leave the library. As she left, Rai and his accomplices had chased her and subjected her to abuse. Notably, based on the complaint, the Lanka police had immediately lodged a FIR against the accused under sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 354 (outraging modesty of woman) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of IPC.

Prior to this, a similar sexual harassment incident had also taken place at the IIT-BHU campus in 2017 also which had resulted in massive protests. In the said incident, Notably, the Varanasi police had filed charges of arson and other crimes against 1,200 protesting BHU students. In September 2017, a BHU student of the Arts Faculty was allegedly harassed by three motorcycle-borne men inside the campus when she was returning to the Triveni Hostel. The student alleged that instead of raising the matter with university authorities, the hostel warden questioned her why she was returning so late. Hundreds of students sat on protest in the campus after this string of events in protest against lack of safety and alleged victim shaming. In reaction to the incident, the Vice Chancellor G C Tripathi had said “Boys will be boys. Forget about what happened. Why don’t you stop stepping out after 6 pm if you dislike such things? You are a girl, don’t try to become a boy (by stepping out after sunset).” Notably, the Varanasi police had filed charges of arson and other crimes against 1,200 protesting BHU students.

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The post IIT-BHU: Female student molested, abused and stripped by three bike-borne men inside campus appeared first on SabrangIndia.

 

Varanasi: IIT-BHU (Indian Institute of Technology- Banaras Hindu University) had released a circular on Oct 10 informing students, faculty and employees of the university that strict disciplinary action will be taken against people who hold protests or meets that disrupt college life and education.
 
On October 10, a circular signed by the registrar was circulated to all departments. The circular asked students and employees to take prior permission from requisite authority to hold any procession or meeting in the campus. It also said that any default or disobedience will be punished. It arbitrarily outlawed the use of derogatory slogans, abuses and propaganda without detailing what it constituted.
 
Students of IIT BHU have expressed disappointment with the letter and have filed a petition against the circular on Oct 12. Writing to the registrar to roll back the notice, they quoted Article 19 (Right to Freedom) and said that freedom of speech, freedom to assemble peacefully and forms associations and groups were their rights given to them by the constitution of India.
 
They said that they found the notice undemocratic and unconstitutional and they were doing their duty as students. They also wrote that questioning, analyzing, criticizing, expressing opinions and dissenting were the cornerstones of a good education and a healthy learning environment. They added that such a notice gives undue powers to the admin.
 

 
The Students For Change group in the IIT campus also released a statement against the registrar’s circular.
 
“In the pretext of disruption of studies, examination and research work, the administration is trying to stop any dissenting voices. The purpose of learning and teaching Science must be to make the students think, question everything and critically analyze and challenge; but the same teaching-learning is being disrupted according to the administration if students raise their concerns and issues and register their dissent. This is a fascist step by the administration who wants the students and employees of our college to obey everything and become blind, deaf and dumb to anything happening in the society. Recently, SFC had organised a demonstration condemning the brutal attack by the State on the farmers who were protesting peacefully for their demands but our administration tried to stop the demonstration by every means even stating that the institute follows its own regulations and not that of the Constitution!” they said.
 
“Holding peaceful demonstration and protests is a right of the citizens of our country being given by the Constitution. Such fundamental rights are guaranteed under Article 19(1)(a) right to freedom of speech and Article 19(1)(b) right to assemble peacefully. Due to all this, our education is merely becoming an act of depositing, in which students are depositories and professors are depositors and both are being completely isolated from the society. SFC strongly condemns this notice by the IIT(BHU) administration and demand immediate rollback of this undemocratic and unconstitutional order. We appeal to all students, intellectuals and other democratic citizens to come together and oppose this fascist step by the IIT administration,” they added.
 

 
Speaking to Sabrang India, Ipshita, a 4th-year student of IIT BHU and member of SFC said that the notice was reactionary to the many demonstrations that have been carried out in the past. “During a recent peaceful demonstration, we faced violence at the hands of ABVP goons. Instead of taking action against them and investigating them, we were told to not demonstrate or protest. Peaceful demonstrations are our basic rights. Due to the holidays, we are not able to act against this notice. When we are back in college we will demand an answer. If they don’t respond to us or our petition, we will take this to higher authorities.”
 
BHU has been embroiled in a number of incidents that questioned its authority over making the campus safe for women and managing violence perpetrated by political goons.
 
Members of the RSS affiliated Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) attacked students of Banaras Hindu University celebrating the anniversary of gender rights protest that had taken the university by storm last year. They attacked the students on Sunday, the one-year anniversary of the 23 September women’s protest against the victim shaming of a sexual harassment survivor and discriminatory hostel rules.
 
Full text of SFC’s statement:

DISSENT IS THE SAFETY VALVE OF DEMOCRACY—Justice DY Chandrachud, Judge of Supreme Court
 
On 11th October 2018, the Registrar of IIT(BHU) sent an email and a notice to all the students and faculty of IIT BHU that regarded Demonstration, Dharna, Hunger strike etc. as acts of indiscipline, responsible for the disruption in teaching-learning environment of the institute and any student or employee organising or participating in these acts will be subjected to disciplinary action.
 
In the pretext of disruption of studies, examination and research work, the administration is trying to stop any dissenting voices. The purpose of learning and teaching Science must be to make the students think, question everything and critically analyze and challenge; but the same teaching-learning is being disrupted according to the administration if students raise their concerns and issues and register their dissent. This is a fascist step by the administration who wants the students and employees of our college to obey everything and become blind, deaf and dumb to anything happening in the society. Recently, SFC had organised a demonstration condemning the brutal attack by the State on the farmers who were protesting peacefully for their demands but our administration tried to stop the demonstration by every means even stating that the institute follows its own regulations and not that of the Constitution!
 
Holding peaceful demonstration and protests is a right of the citizens of our country being given by the Constitution. Such fundamental rights are guaranteed under Article 19(1)(a) right to freedom of speech and Article 19(1)(b) right to assemble peacefully. Due to all this, our education is merely becoming an act of depositing, in which students are depositories and professors are depositors and both are being completely isolated from the society. SFC strongly condemns this notice by the IIT(BHU) administration and demand immediate rollback of this undemocratic and unconstitutional order. We appeal to all students, intellectuals and other democratic citizens to come together and oppose this fascist step by the IIT administration.
 
#down_with_fascism
#shame_IITBHUadministration
#we_shall_fight #we_shall_win
 
Read Also:

https://www.sabrangindia.in/article/year-after-protests-bhus-female-students-recount-how-their-lives-changed-better-or-worse

https://www.sabrangindia.in/article/abvp-members-assault-bhu-students-hosting-gender-equality-event

https://www.sabrangindia.in/article/student-groups-iits-bhu-condemn-state-targeting-one-their-own-maoists

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The statement explains that on Tuesday, September 4, in Bengali newspaper Anandabazar Patrika, “it was declared that the Central Intelligence has marked some organizations in West Bengal which reportedly act as a frontal organization of the ‘Maoists’. In the list of organizations, a constituent organization of COSTISA, Ambedkar Bhagat Singh Study Circle (ABSC) has been named.” Other than ABSC, COSTISA is comprised of Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle (APSC) at IIT Madras, Ambedkar Periyar Phule Study Circle (APPSC) at IIT Bombay, Students For Chnage (SFC) at IIT BHU, Students For Change (SFC) at IMS BHU, and Forum For Critical Thinking (FCT) at IIT Kanpur.

COSTISA emphasises that this instance “has to be looked at in connection with the nationwide crackdown on” human rights activists, professors, lawyers and poet “as a drive to ‘clear’ ‘Urban Naxals'”. It notes that such “sensational news” indicates that the “central government is utterly desperate to curb and silence any voices that are raised against them.” The statement details the ABSC’s work, saying the organisation “has been active in raising voices against the commercialization and saffronization of education and condemning nationwide brahminical fascist attacks on Dalits, Adivasis, Muslims, and other minorities.” Moreover, ABSC students also played a key role in the fee hike movement at IIT Kharagpur in 2016, “which compelled the administration for a partial rollback of the semester fees”. ABSC has stood with those demanding “better democracy and student rights” on campus, per COSTISA.

In light of this, the statement says that “the reason behind ABSC becoming an eyesore of the government is clear,” as “they have stood for justice and constitutional rights of our people.” It notes that the state “has been using the tactic of labeling the pro-people organizations in an attempt to mobilize public sentiment against them and other activists.” Also, it says that the resulting “sensation” works to divert attention from actual problems plaguing the country, such as unemployment, rising costs of education, health and livelihood, increasing attacks against Dalits, Muslims, and Adivasis by “Hindutva fascists,” as well as anti-people measures such as “demonization and GST”.

COSTISA says it condemns this act of witch hunting and “false sentimentalization by the state,” and appeals to all “patriotic, democratic pro-people students and intellectuals to stand and raise your voice against it.” 

The complete statement may be read here: 

PRESS RELEASE – 5th September, 2018
Condemn the conspiracy of Hindutva fascist forces against democratic
students organization!
Long Live the dream of a casteless and a classless India!

On September 4th, 2018 in an important Bengali newspaper Anandabazar Patrika, it was declared that the Central Intelligence has marked some organizations in West Bengal which reportedly act as a frontal organization of the “Maoists”. In the list of organizations, a constituent  organization of COSTISA, Ambedkar Bhagat Singh Study Circle (ABSC) has been named. This event has to be looked at in connection with the nationwide crackdown on Human Right activists, Professors, lawyers and poet as a drive to “clear” “Urban Naxals”. This kind of sensational news shows that the central government is utterly desperate to curb and silence any voices that are raised against them. ABSC has been active in raising voices against the commercialization and saffronization of education and condemning nationwide brahminical fascist attacks on Dalits, Adivasis, Muslims, and other minorities. The students involved in ABSC have also been an important part of the fee hike movement at 2016 in IIT Kharagpur which compelled the administration for a partial rollback of the semester fees and have stood with all students issues which demanded better democracy and proper student rights in the campus.

With all these facts in mind, the reason behind ABSC becoming an eyesore of the government is clear that they have stood for justice and constitutional rights of our people. The state has been using the tactic of labeling the pro-people organizations in an attempt to mobilize public sentiment against them and other activists. Moreover, the sensation created by these announcements serves the purpose of diverting the people’s attention from the real problems of our nation like unemployment, increasing costs of education, health and livelihood, increasing of attacks on Dalits, Adivasis, and Muslims by the Hindutva fascists, anti-people steps like demonetization and GST etc. COSTISA condemns this act of which hunting and false sentimentalization by the state. We appeal all the patriotic, democratic, pro-people students and intellectuals to stand and raise your voice against it. Let us not let our country lose all of the democratic ethos it has!

Coordination of Science and Technology Institutes’ Student Associations (COSTISA) (www.facebook.com/supportcostisa)
Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle (APSC), IIT Madras
Ambedkar Periyar Phule Study Circle (APPSC), IIT Bombay
Students For Change (SFC), IIT BHU
Students For Change (SFC), IMS BHU
Ambedkar Bhagat Singh Study Circle (ABSC), IIT Kharagpur
Forum For Critical Thinking (FCT), IIT Kanpur
 

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-The decision taken by the Board for terminating the services of Dr Pandey sans any academic considerations and it is merely on account of conflict of ideologies and therefore if such a decision stands vindicated, it will surely pose a threat to the basic fundamental freedoms granted in the Indian Constitution.

-The decision of the Board at the instance of the Chairman is in fact a step further to saffronisation of the IIT (BHU) and the University and in our democratic state such an attempt which is aimed at suppressing the ideologies is required to be nipped in bud as otherwise it will have serious effects.

-The framers of our Constitution have given to us the fundamental right in the shape of freedoms as detailed in Article 19 of the Constitution of India, particularly freedom to speak under Article 19 (1) (a), which includes professing even different ideologies and State is prohibited from curbing such freedoms which are subject only to some reasonable restrictions (in the interest of sovereignty and integrity of India, the security of State, friendly relations with foreign States, public order, decency or morality or in relation to contempt of court, defamation or incitement to an offence) and the IIT (BHU) by means of the resolution and the consequent termination order has made a dent upon the freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution of India.   

-The BOG resolution and order under challenge in the petition, has nothing to do with the academic performance of Dr Sandeep Pandey and he has been simply punished by the dictates of the Chairman of the Board. The Board was guided in its decision with the complaint of Avinash Pandey which appears to have been procured, without any verification. The truthfulness of the contents of the complaint were not verified through any preliminary fact finding enquiry. It was a rushed and un-thought through decision. .

-The branding of Dr Pandey as anti-national under the opinion formed by the Board has very serious effects as he is being sought to be permanently non-suited for any appointment/ engagement by any academic institute and that too without any enquiry or opportunity for him to be heard.

-The resolution and termination order under challenge in the High Court, which is stigmatic and passed without affording opportunity to the petitioner, Dr Pandey, and without even any fact finding enquiry-(i) goes to infringe fundamental rights of the petitioner under Article 14, 16, 19 (1) (a) & 21 of the Constitution of India; (ii) is in complete violation of principles of natural justice & (iii) is wholly without jurisdiction because it was passed in the absence of any agenda on the board. 
 
See also
Intolerance Strikes, Sandeep Pandey is out of BHU
 
https://sabrangindia.in/article/intolerance-strikes-sandeep-pandey-out-bhu
 
RSS hardliners ensured the premature termination, says Pandey
 
My contract at the IIT, Banaras Hindu University (BHU) Varanasi as a visiting faculty has prematurely ended after teaching there for two-and-a-half years. This decision was prematurely taken by the Board of Governors (BOG). In a recent Board meeting the Vice Chancellor of BHU, who was made the Chairman of the IIT Board of Governors by the Minister of HRD, government of India, Smriti Irani, after by-passing the panel of five names recommended by a resolution of the Board of Governors. Thereafter, professor G.C. Tripathi, and Dean of Faculty Affairs, IIT, BHU and professor Dhananjay Pandey, both gentlemen associated with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), primarily forced the decision.

The charges levelled against me are that I am a Naxalite, showed a banned documentary on Nirbhaya case and am also involved in anti-national activities.

I wish to clarify that I'm not a Naxalite. The ideology that I would consider myself closest to is Gandhian.

But I do identify with the causes taken up by Naxalites even though I may not agree with their methods.

The banned documentary on Nirbhaya made by BBC was to be screened in my Development Studies class during the even semester of academic year 2014-15 but the decision was withdrawn after intervention of Chief Proctor of the BHU and officer of the Lanka Police Station just before the class. However, a discussion on the issue of violence against women in our society was conducted after screening a different documentary.

I do not believe in the idea of a nation or national boundaries, which I think are responsible for artificial divisions among human beings similar to the ones on the basis of caste or religion. Hence I cannot be anti or pro-nation. I am pro-people. I'm not a nationalist but am a universalist. I have no regrets as the decision to terminate my contract has not been taken based on my academic performance but it is because of my political views and activities. I've enjoyed my stay at IIT, BHU and wish the Institute and the University the best.
 
(Sandeep Pandey, a Magsaysay awardee for emergent leadership has trained in Mechanical Engineering but has been working on social justice issues; he is co-founder of Aasha)
 

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