Members of ABVP Interrupt Protest Against Violence in JNU in Ahmedabad
Hundreds of people including students, professors, theatre artists and activists and prominent people like sociologist Manishi Jani, human rights activists Nirjhari Sinha, MLA Jignesh Mevani and Mallika Sarabhai assembled in front of Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A) on the evening of January 6 condemning and protesting against the attack inside JNU campus by masked goons.
About half an hour into the protest, a group of about 10 or 12 youths gathered across the street (opposite the protest location) on the road divider and held placards that read, “Undeclared emergency in JNU by Communist goons. Stop Red Terror. #LeftAttacksJNU #GujaratAgainstRedTerror”.
While the journalists were covering the protest against violence in JNU, a young man who identified himself as a member of ABVP Student Senate walked towards the protest and asked journalists to cover the gathering across the street.
The police who had been deployed at the protest site asked them to leave and detained three after they resisted.
“They were detained as they had gathered without permission,” said DCP Pravin Mal.
A motorcycle-borne man drove past the protesters just after the group of ABVP members were dispersed, shouting, “Amit Shah Zindabad.” Thereafter, a man managed his way into the protest and began speaking against JNU. However, protesters called the police who escorted him away.
Notably, the permission of the protesting for two hours against violence in JNU was sought by a student and was granted by the University police station of Ahmedabad.
“There was a time when students’ movement led to the dissolution of the government in Gujarat. Since then, a lot has changed in the state, especially for the youth. Spaces of education were privatised, fees soared so that it becomes inaccessible for the middle and lower middle class. Even if a family manages to send its child to higher education, there is a lot of pressure on students. Besides, more than two decades of BJP rule has killed every democratic process in the state including election of students’ representatives. Here in Gujarat they are selected,” said Manishi Jani, a sociologist, activist, and a student leader of Navnirman andolan of 1974 that led to toppling of the then Gujarat government.
Also read: JNU Attack Once Again Betokens Police State
Get the latest reports & analysis with people's perspective on Protests, movements & deep analytical videos, discussions of the current affairs in your Telegram app. Subscribe to NewsClick's Telegram channel & get Real-Time updates on stories, as they get published on our website.