BeyondHeadlines News Desk
New Delhi: On Monday, a group of teachers, researchers, and students of the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi issued a joint statement condemning the Sunday’s attack on the students and teachers of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) by masked goons, allegedly belonging to the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).
“We condemn police apathy towards the instances of threats, intimidation, and assault by the organised armed political mafia on students, faculty members, and others gathered around to protest the JNU violence,” the joint statement reads.
“At a time when protests all over the country are emphasizing the need to protect the Indian Constitution and the basic principles of liberty, equality, and the right to freedom of speech, the unprecedented attack on JNU students and faculty is unacceptable,” it noted.
The statement continued, “University campuses and colleges offer a safe, unarmed space for debate, discussion, and learning for students from diverse regional and class backgrounds, and must continue to do so. They are the lifeblood of democracy. After the police brutality at Jamia Millia Islamia and Aligarh Muslim University, this time masked goons are deliberately creating a “culture of fear” on public university campuses.”
The joint statement further added, “We, at IIT Delhi, stand against such suppression and silencing of peaceful protests since it is antithetical to our lives as students and researchers, and curtails our growth as responsible citizens of the nation. As we understand, the situation which is emerging after a recent series of planned attacks on students inside the university campus is unprecedented and needs immediate attention from all corners of the academic world. We urge everyone to stand against the fascist face of the government, and stand with us in safeguarding the Indian Constitution, which is constantly put under attack in the past few months.”
