By Arpita Singh
LivED It: It is an ED Original style where we write about our personal experiences on experiencing and reviewing any app/place/website which gives us a feeling of coming back for more.
Standing in the herd of protestors, I and my friends marched towards the front of the protests. We were there to oppose the vandalism ABVP caused at Ramjas yesterday. But the ABVP members guarded by the present government took the liberal pleasure in hampering all the scheduled events in Ramjas College today too.
The seminar ‘Cultures of Protests’ organized by the English Department and the Literary Society of Ramjas College, Delhi University was canceled due to the protests and blockade by the members of ABVP yesterday. The power had been cut down and all the organizers were locked up in a room in college premises. ‘Gundaraaj’ was on full throttle in the corridors of Ramjas, and all this while police remained ‘respectfully’ silent.
Umar Khaled, a Ph.D. student in Jawaharlal Nehru University was invited to deliver a lecture on the war against Adivasis. But, a “Mob of 100 ABVP pseudo-nationalist gathered at the gates of Ramjas College with hockey sticks and stones threatening of large-scale violence if any anti-national like me come to Delhi University”, informed Umar Khalid through his Facebook to the world.
For how long the Voices will stay Suppressed?
AISA and the Left fraternity protested today against the ‘hooliganism in the campus’. Sooner rather than later, there were stones pelting on protestors by the members of ABVP to which police didn’t react much.
It seemed like Delhi Police was enjoying a free street theater watching the students crumble under the mob violence.
The slogans of ‘Azadi’ made us nostalgic about the 2016’s JNU’s protests in which all the protestors were termed ‘anti-nationals’. Again.
Why in a free nation we still have to demand ‘Azaadi’?
We hailed high on our voices to retaliate with enough force against the blockade and invalidation of the seminar.
Police ke naam pe gundagardi nhi chalegi’, ‘ABVP hosh me aao’, ‘ABVP campus chhodo’, ‘ABVP khabardar’ , ‘Azaadi Azaadi keh ke lege aazadi’ , these were the few slogans raised by fellow protestors while the ABVP fraternity resisted with slogans such as ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai, ‘Vandemataram’ showcasing that they are the only sons of ‘Bharat Mata’.
What was most astonishing to witness is that ABVP even raised the Indian national flag to safeguard their position.
What was most astonishing to witness is that ABVP even raised the Indian national flag to safeguard their position. Like really? Is the tricolor only yours to protect?
For how long the tag of nationalism will keep them protected’?
Protestors were pushed away by Delhi police threatening to ride the police bus over them.
Freedom of speech? Maybe in a utopian world…
The protest was going smoothly until some of the members of ABVP started throwing stones on students and many of them got injured. Stone pelting resulted in the clash between the two wings. People were thrashed and manhandled. We covered our heads with bags and books to shield away from the stones.
Few members of ABVP were detained by Delhi police after a long show and inspection. Like yeah right, should we clap for you now?
We then marched from Ramjas to Maurice Nagar police station. ABVP members blocked the police station’s entry gate while the protestors protesting from the other side of the road continued demanding an FIR to be lodged against the stone pelting.
Apparently, a rumor of Section 144 of IPC being imposed around North campus is doing its comfortable rounds on the Whats App groups. The latest update has been that all the protestors who were being taken away to the South were later dropped at Hauz Khas metro station.
Police or mere puppets?
Delhi Police has certainly failed in handling the protest resulting in chaos and war of stones. Injured students went to Police crying for help but all they demanded was to keep accord.
The situation could have been handled in a much better way if the right action was taken at the right time by Delhi Police. Such political hooliganism will only quell the just voices around the country, not encourage nationalism to grow. Period.
Read More:
http://edtimes.in/2016/07/pseudo-secularism-pseudo-nationalism-indian-political-parties-come-long-way-divide-rule/
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